South Sudan’s Ambassador to Israel, Ruben Marial Benjamin, asks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit his country.

The Jerusalem Post reported Ambassador Ruben Marial Benjamin extended the invitation on Monday at the Israeli Parliament (the Knesset) during the launch of the new Knesset Caucus for Israel-Africa relations.

Ambassador Ruben Marial Benjamin on the occasion said such a trip could “unite the divided tribes and bring peace and an end to bloodshed”.

“The African attitude towards Israel has changed and the time has come to look at our shared interests. The people of South Sudan love Israel,” The Jerusalem Post quoted Ambassador Ruben as saying.

Netanyahu, officiating the event, confirmed what was first reported in The Jerusalem Post last month, that he intends to visit around the 40th anniversary of Israel’s Entebbe raid that took place on July 4, 1976.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added that his trip to Africa will illustrate clearly Israel’s coming back to Africa, and Africa’s return to Israel.

Among the countries that Netanyahu plans to visit are Kenya and Uganda.