Intelligence Services Minister Eli Cohen said Saturday that Israel has engaged in secret talks with Niger regarding normalizing relations between the two countries.
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According to Israel media reports, the Israeli Foreign Ministry expects the administration of US President Joe Biden Trump will continue to seek further agreements between Israel and Arab and Muslim countries.
Niger has severed ties with Israel twice in the past: first in 1973, over the Yom Kippur War, and later in 2002, in the height of the Second Intifada.
Jerusalem sources told Israel Hayom that no real effort has been made to renews relations with Niamey. mostly over the fact that any Israeli traveling to the terrorism-stricken Niger would be in mortal danger.
Intelligence Services Ministry said that at the present time, there may be an oppertunity to resume ties with the West Africa, citing a shift in its voting record against Israel in internatioanl bodies, and – perhapse more importantly – the fact that Niger is one of the world's top unarium suppliers.
Stalble ties between Jerusalem and Niamey could affect the latter's unarium exports to "countries hostile to Israel," one source said.
"Niger is the largest Muslim country in West Africa, with a population of more than 25 million," Cohen said, adding that "establishing relations between Israel and Muslim countries in Africa is a move that will contribute to both sides, both bilaterally and in terms of regional stability."
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