UNITED STATES— On Friday, October 23, President Trump announced that Israel and Sudan have opened economic ties to normalize relations. Additionally, Sudan was removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, thus unblocking economic aid and investment.
Sudan is the third Arab state to normalize relations with Israel. On September 15, leaders of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed historic declarations at the White House. Under the declarations the nations affirmed that they would establish embassies, exchange ambassadors and cooperate on issues like trade, healthcare and security. It also included “efforts to achieve a just, comprehensive, and enduring resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Sudan has yet to establish this extent of diplomatic recognition with Israel.
President Trump announced the deal in the Oval Office while on a conference call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Sudan’s civilian and military leaders, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. He
He later tweeted: “HUGE win today for the United States and for peace in the world. Sudan has agreed to a peace and normalization agreement with Israel! With the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that’s THREE Arab countries to have done so in only a matter of weeks. More will follow!”
Sudan and Israel said in a statement with the United States that delegations would meet “in the coming weeks.”
It stated: “The leaders agreed to the normalization of relations between Sudan and Israel and to end the state of belligerence between their nations.”
Until September only two Arab nations – Egypt and Jordan – had officially recognized Israel. The two nations, which border Israel, signed peace agreements in 1979 and 1994, after US mediation.
Palestinians have condemned the nations normalizing relations with Israel. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that no-one had the right to speak on behalf of Palestinians.
