"Cape Verde on Tuesday denied that it had decided it will no longer to vote against Israel at the United Nations, days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took credit for the West African nation's ostensible new policy.
Responding to various news reports about the matter, Cape Verde confirmed its desire to advance relations with Israel, but indicated that its recent contacts with Jerusalem have not led to a change in Israel's favor in its traditional voting patterns at international organizations...
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem declined to comment Wednesday on the Cape Verdean statements.
But an Israeli diplomatic official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Cape Verde months ago told Israel's ambassador, Paul Hirschson, that it had decided to stop voting against Israel in international forums. 'This was confirmed by local press reports in Cape Verde,' the official said.
'We are aware that there is significant Arab pressure against the Israeli initiative to strengthen ties with Africa. We assume that the statement of the president of Cape Verde is a product of this pressure.'.."