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Mauritania Affirms Break with Israel

   VOA News 21 March 2010

Photo: AFP

   Mauritania's Foreign Minister Naha Mint Hamdi Oult Mouknass

   Mauritania's  foreign  minister says her country has broken diplomatic
   relations with Israel.
   Speaking  in  the capital of Nouakchott late Saturday, Naha Mint Hamdi
   Ould  Mouknass said Mauritania has cut ties with Israel in a "complete
   and definitive way."
   Mauritania  was  once  one  of  three  Arab states that had diplomatic
   relations with Israel.  It suspended the ties in January 2009 because
   of an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
   In  March,  the  government expelled Israeli diplomats and ordered the
   closing of the Israeli embassy.
   The  2009  Israeli  offensive killed an estimated 1,300 Palestinians.Â
   Israel said it launched the offensive to protect itself against rocket
   attacks by the militant group Hamas.
   Mauritania's  move  leaves Egypt and Jordan as the only Arab states to
   maintain relations with Israel.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

   IFRAME:
   [1]http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Mauritania&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&
   ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&hnear=Mauritania&ll=21.002471,-10.942383&spn=14.3270
   63,21.09375&t=h&z=5&output=embed

   

References

   1. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Mauritania&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&hnear=Mauritania&ll=21.002471,-10.942383&spn=14.327063,21.09375&t=h&z=5&output=embed

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