Sudanese Foreign Ministry backtracks on call for peace with Israel
Netanyahu: Israel, Sudan and the entire region will benefit from the peace agreement; Khartoum backtracks from statement
By TOVAH LAZAROFF, LAHAV HARKOVSudanese protesters shout slogans and wave flags during a rally honouring fallen protesters at the Green Square in Khartoum, Sudan July 18, 2019(photo credit: REUTERS/ MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH)
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry rescinded its message in support of peace and reconciliation with Israel, which led to speculation Monday that the countries could be on the verge of normalizing ties and establishing formal diplomatic relations.The Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Haidar Badawi al-Sadiq told Sky News Arabia that Sudan looks forward to a peace agreement with Israel. His words followed the announcement last week of a pending peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.Both Israel and Sudan would benefit from such an agreement, he added.Sadiq told Reuters that the “Emirates’ move is a brave and bold step and contributes to putting the Arab world on the right track to build peace in the region and to build sustainable peace.”He added, “I cannot deny that there are contacts between Sudan and Israel.”However, the Sudanese Foreign Minister Omer Gamur Eddin sent out a subsequent message that it was "astonished" by Sadiq's statements, which he had not been authorized to make, and that the ministry had not discussed relations with Israel.“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan confirms that the issue of relations with Israel was not discussed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in any way, and Ambassador Haydar Badawi (Sadig) was not assigned to make any statements in this regard,”, the statement added.Sadig was not immediately available for comment.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had immediately responded to Sadiq's statement, saying: “Israel, Sudan and the entire region will benefit from the peace agreement and together they can build a better future for all the peoples of the region. We will do everything necessary to make this vision a reality.”Netanyahu lauded the courageous decision to promote peace between Israel and Sudan made by Lt.-Gen. Abdel Fatah Abdeirahman al-Burhan, who chairs the Sudanese Sovereignty Council.
The two men had met in Uganda in February of this year, announcing a move toward normalization that has since been stalled, but Israeli flights have been allowed to fly over Sudan, shortening flight times to South America.Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi also responded, adding that Sudan’s willingness to make peace with Israel has tremendous symbolic significance. He referenced the famous Arab League Meeting in the Sudan’s capital of Khartoum in the aftermath of the Six Day War.The League issued the “three no’s of Khartoum” in which they rejected any negotiations, recognition or possibility of peace with Israel.“I welcome any step that promotes a normalization, peace, agreements and recognition between [Israel and Arab] countries,” Ashkenazi said.Israeli diplomatic activity led by the Foreign Ministry has created important opportunities, such as the connection between Israel and Sudan, Ashkenazi tweeted. “In the near future, we will continue to discuss improvements in the relations until a peace agreement is signed that respects the interests of both parties,” Ashkenazi added.An agreement with Sudan would be the fourth peace treaty for Israel with an Arab state. The US and Israel have said that they expect more deals with Arab countries to follow the deal announced last week with the UAE. Bahrain is widely expected to be next.Sudan has moved in a more pro-Western direction, and seeks to be removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, and ties with Israel could be a way to improve its relations with the US.Peace with Sudan would more fully break the country away from Iran’s orbit. In past years, Tehran gained access to Port Sudan on the Red Sea for its naval forces and Iranian ships have previously transferred arms to Gaza through Sudan and into Egypt. This was one of the key supply routes for Hamas as it built up its capacity to wage war against Israel.Because of the civil war in Yemen, Sudan decided that it would no longer maintain a pro-Iranian orientation. It has since aligned its foreign policy with Saudi Arabia. As a result, Hamas lost its Sudanese line of supply.
