Donald Trump speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau on the phone.
Khartoum:
Sudan agreed on Friday to be the last Arab nation to recognize Israel in a diplomatic coup announced by President Donald Trump days before the US election.
The UAE and Bahrain signed a deal at the White House last month to normalize relations with Israel, but Sudan carries additional symbolism as an Arab nation at war with Israel.
Trump announced the agreement of the one-year-old civilian-backed Sudanese government moments after officially deciding to end the nation’s designation of a terrorist sponsor state, which was a major goal for Khartoum .
Journalists were escorted into the Oval Office where Trump was speaking with Sudanese leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of the embattled Republican president.
“It really changes the region. It changes the lives of our people for the better and allows us to focus on the task of building our nations, building our future,” Netanyahu told Trump.
Trump said more Arab states are also seeking recognition of Israel, including the regional powerhouse, Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam’s two holiest cities.
“We have at least five more who want to come in and we’ll have a lot more soon,” Trump said in a room filled with helpers, few of whom wear masks despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
Until last month, the only Arab nations to recognize Israel were Jordan and Egypt – neighbors of the Jewish state that had made peace after American mediation.
An economic boon for Sudan
The United States and Israel pledged to boost trade with Sudan, an impoverished and conflict-ravaged nation that had faced years of criticism for its violent internal campaigns until the fall of dictator Omar al-Bashir Last year.
In a three-way statement, Sudan and Israel said delegations would meet “in the coming weeks to negotiate cooperation agreements,” including in the areas of agriculture, aviation and migration.
“The leaders have agreed to normalize relations between Sudan and Israel and to end the state of belligerence between their nations,” he said, without setting a date.
As part of the deal to get off the terrorism blacklist, the White House says Sudan’s transitional government has deposited $ 335 million to compensate survivors and family members of anti-US attacks which took place when the Bashir regime welcomed Al Qaeda.
Sudan’s civilian Prime Minister Abdulla Hamdok thanked Trump for the terrorism designation without mentioning recognition of Israel – a move he previously said he was not empowered to do.
“This decision will open the door to Sudan’s deserved return to the international community and the international financial and banking sector, as well as regional and international investments,” Hamdok’s office said in a statement that did not mention ties to Israel.
But Sudanese television later said that Sudan had in fact agreed to end the state of war with Israel and normalize relations.
Sudan’s chief general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who met Netanyahu earlier this year in Uganda, was also on the phone.
Historic stage
Trump announced his plan to delist Sudan via Twitter on Monday. But in the days before its official decision, Israel sent a delegation to Khartoum to discuss normalization.
Trump, who lags behind in the polls ahead of the November 3 vote, has used his influence over Sudan to push for recognition of Israel.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday expressed hope that Sudan would “quickly” recognize the Jewish state – a major cause for Trump’s evangelical Christian base.
Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have long enjoyed calm relations with Israel, but a move by Sudan is particularly significant in light of the nation’s history.
Sudan played a small role in the Arab-Israeli wars and, after Israel’s decisive victory in 1967, Khartoum was where the Arab League issued its famous “three no’s” – no peace, no recognition. and no negotiations with Israel.
Sudan has sought for years to remove designation as a sponsor state of terrorism, severely hampering investment as few foreign companies want to risk the wrath of US lawsuits.
With Trump’s official decision, Congress has 45 days in which to pass a resolution opposing the delisting.
Congress is not expected to block de-listing, but it must also approve legislation granting Sudan immunity from other claims.
Until then, the $ 335 million will be held in an escrow account.
The money includes compensation for survivors and family members of those killed in Al Qaeda’s double attacks on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
