Sudan will sign a “historic peace agreement” with Israel later this year, Israeli Foreign Minister (FM) Eli Cohen announced on Thursday after returning from his landmark trip to the North African country.
Complete Normalisation
Cohen said on Twitter that his meeting with Sudanese President Gen. Abdel Fattah Al Burhan was successful as the latter agreed to normalise ties with Israel completely. “This is a historic agreement with a strategic Arab and Muslim country,” he said.
It was the first visit by an Israeli minister to Khartoum in two years.
Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen arrived in Khartoum on Thursday and met Sudan's military leader General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan who led the military coup in the country.
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) February 2, 2023
Why it matters: This is the first visit by an Israeli minister minister to Sudan in two years
The move will “promote regional stability [and] contribute to the national security” of Israel, the FM emphasised, adding that the “three nos” have become the three yesses — yes to negotiations with Israel, yes to recognition of Israel, and yes to peace with Israel.
Cohen was referring to the infamous Khartoum Resolution of 1967, also known as the “three nos” resolution, which called for “no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with Israel.” It was adopted during the 1967 Arab League Summit, in the wake of the Arab defeat in the Six-Day War with Israel.
During the visit, which was made with the consent of the US, the parties finalized the text of the agreement. The signing ceremony is expected to take place after the transfer of power in 🇸🇩 to a civilian gov. that will be established as part of the ongoing transition process.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) February 2, 2023
The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that Cohen visited Sudan with the consent of the US. “The signing ceremony is expected to take place after the transfer of power to a civilian government,” it said.
Meeting with Burhan
According to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), Burhan stressed that Sudan wants “fruitful relations” with Israel and looks forward to strengthening ties in agriculture, energy, health, water, education, and security.
Burhan also urged the Israeli FM to help “realise stability between Israel and the Palestinians.”
Abraham Accords
The announcement came two years after Sudan agreed to pursue diplomatic ties with Israel. In January 2021, following normalisation deals between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco as part of the landmark Abraham Accords, Sudan signed an agreement with Israel promising to work towards the full normalisation of ties.
The US mediated the Abraham Accords under the presidency of Donald Trump.
Before 2021, Sudan did not recognise Israel as an independent state owing to the Palestine conflict. Khartoum even participated in several Arab wars against Israel by sending troops.