Sudan, Israel Announce Reaching Deal on Normalizing Relations

Rabat – Sudan is set to become the latest Arab country to normalize relations with Israel, two years after the Arab country initially announced intentions to join the US-brokered Abraham Accords.

Reports from various sources suggest Israel and Sudan have reached a final deal on normalizing relations. The signing ceremony is expected to take place following Sudan’s transition from military to civilian rule, according to a statement from Israel’s foreign minister quoted by Reuters.

With this deal, Sudan joins Morocco, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, in recognizing Israel as a country under the “Abraham Accords,” a deal brokered by the administration of former US president Donald Trump in late 2020.

The two countries reached the deal during a recent visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Sudan’s foreign ministry announced.

“During the visit, which was made with the consent of the United States, the parties finalized the text of the agreement,” Israel’s foreign ministry announced in a statement quoted in the report.

After Sudan announced plans to normalize relations with Israel, the country spiraled into political turmoil as the military staged a coup and overthrew the government in October 2021. The military maintains that it plans to hand over power to a civilian government following the ongoing talks.

However, the normalization agreement may not be welcomed by all factions within the country, as reports indicate that groups are calling for the deal to be voted on by a democratically-elected parliament that is yet to be formed.

The deal also comes one year after the US announced halting aid for Sudan following the October coup.

Official sources quoted by Israeli media indicate that Mauritania and Indonesia may be the next countries to sign the Abraham accords.