Sudan, Israel Agree To Normalize Ties In Move To New Era

By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News

(Worthy News) – In another move towards a new era, Is­rael and Su­dan agreed Friday to nor­mal­ize ties in a U.S.-bro­kered deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump sealed the agreement in a phone call that included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Sudan’s Transitional Council Head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan also participated in the call, U.S. officials said.

The agreement end­ing decades of hos­til­ity of one of Africa’s largest coun­tries towards Israel came as a boost for Trump, who seeks re-election on November 3.

It makes Khartoum the third Arab government to set aside tensions with Israel in the last two months.

INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION

The deal helps Su­dan emerge from in­ternational iso­la­tion af­ter the U.S. sanc­tioned it in the 1990s for har­bor­ing al Qae­da’s then-leader, Osama bin Laden, and aid­ing ter­ror­ist groups.

The agree­ment was an­nounced at the White House by Pres­i­dent Trump, who called the deal “peace in the Mid­dle East with­out blood­shed.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of a “new era” for the region.

But the Palestinian leadership, watching as more of their Arab brethren appear to give their quest for statehood a lower priority, called it a “new stab in the back.”

“The leaders agreed to the normalization of relations between Sudan and Israel and to end the state of belligerence between their nations,” according to a joint statement issued by the three countries.

DEBT RELIEF

Under the deal, the U.S. also pledged help for Khartoum to secure international debt relief.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump announced that at least five other countries wanted to follow suit and normalize relations with Israel.
He made the remarks with the Israeli and Sudanese leaders on the line in a three-way phone call.

“Do you think ‘Sleepy Joe’ could have made this deal?” Trump asked Netanyahu, using the president’s pejorative nickname for Joe Biden. “Somehow, I don’t think so.”

The landmark deal came a day after Trump and Biden met for their final, rancorous debate of the 2020 presidential campaign.

Last month Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates also signed peace agreements in Washington.
The Abraham Accords could also unlock tech and tourism deals with Bahrain and perhaps eventually Sudan.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia – which says it is not yet ready to normalize relations – has grown increasingly close to Israel on defense and security issues.

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