‘Landmark’ Israel visit to Sudan sets stage for peace agreement

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Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with the head of the Sovereignty Council and Sudan’s Armed Forces commander Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan on Thursday, stating that the visit was “a historic and strategic peace agreement with an Arab Muslim country”, upon his return from Khartoum.

Cohen’s visit set the stage for a peace agreement between Israel and Sudan and is contingent on the transfer of power in Sudan to a civilian government. For many in Israel, the signing is seen as enhancement to their regional stability and will contribute to the national security of the State of Israel.

The BBC reported that the landmark peace signing will be held in Washington in the coming months. The Israeli minister said the agreement’s contents was finalised during his one-day visit.

Israeli researcher and journalist Edy Cohen told Radio Dabanga that the visit of the Israeli Foreign Minister to Khartoum is a step forward and “that the train of normalisation is moving quickly”.

He also highlighted the Chadian President Mohamed Idris Deby’s recent visit to Israel, which was key in accelerating and contributing to Sudan’s diplomatic normalisation with Israel.

According to the Israeli analyst, “Washington pressured Tel Aviv for the sake of normalisation with N’Djamena and Khartoum”. There have been several reports since the 2021 coup d’état about visits by Israeli delegations to Sudan at the request of the United States, in an attempt to resolve the political crisis.

Cohen went on to state that despite internal problems and political strife within Israel, “an agreement has been reached between the Chadian President and the President of the Sovereignty Council to sign the cooperation soon”.

The Deputy Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces Lt Gen Mohamed ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo said in a press statement on Thursday that news circulating about his meeting with the Israeli delegation was incorrect.

He stated that he had “no knowledge of the visit of the Israeli delegation” and did not meet any of them.

Criticism

Political analyst Azza Mustafa said that the meeting on Thursday comes as a continuation of previous steps for normalisation with Israel.

“This visit of the Israeli delegation came in anticipation of the formation of a civilian government in Sudan – though it will be civilians that may oppose the normalisation with Tel Aviv,” she told Radio Dabanga.

Political parties and civil society organisations in Sudan condemned the visit of the Israeli FA Minister to Khartoum.

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate said in a statement on Friday it rejects a normalisation process led by putschists without regard for the opinions of the Sudanese people.

They stated that this was “a dangerous development for Sudan”, and an “attempt to take advantage of the current vacuum in the country”.

The lawyers questioned the statements made by El Burhan in early July last year, in which he pledged to return to the barracks after an agreement on the formation of a civilian government and to leave the military establishment out of politics.

Sudan’s Popular Congress Party reacted by saying that “the purpose of the desperate and frantic normalisation attempt is for Sudan to remain under military rule with the support of the Israeli enemy”.