Israel, Sudan move to normalize relations

WASHINGTON • Israel and Sudan agreed on Friday to take steps to normalize relations in a deal brokered with the help of the United States, making Khartoum the third Arab government to set aside hostilities with Israel in the last two months.

U.S. President Donald Trump, seeking re-election on Nov. 3, sealed the agreement in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Transitional Council Head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, senior U.S. officials said.

Trump's decision this week to remove Sudan from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism paved the way for the accord with Israel, marking a foreign policy achievement for the Republican president as he seeks a second term trailing in opinion polls behind Democratic rival Joe Biden.

“The leaders agreed to the normalization of relations between Sudan and Israel and to end the state of belligerence between their nations,” according to a statement issued by the three countries.

Israel and Sudan plan to begin by opening economic and trade relations, with an initial focus on agriculture, the joint statement said. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such issues as formal establishment of diplomatic ties would be resolved later.

Trump touted the deal to reporters in the Oval Office with the Israeli and Sudanese leaders on the line in a three-way phone call, saying at least five other countries want to follow suit and normalize relations with Israel.

“Do you think `Sleepy Joe' could have made this deal?” Trump asked Netanyahu, using the president's pejorative nickname for Biden.

Netanyahu, reliant on bipartisan support for Israel in Washington, responded: “Uh ... one thing I can tell you is we appreciate the help for peace from anyone in America.”

Trump's aides view his pro-Israel policies as appealing to Christian evangelical voters, who are among his biggest supporters.

Trump insisted the Palestinians also “are wanting to do something” but offered no proof. Palestinian leaders have condemned recent Arab diplomatic outreach to Israel as a betrayal of their nationalist cause and have refused to engage with the Trump administration, seeing it as biased in favour of Israel.

A Palestine Liberation Organization official called Sudan's decision to take steps to normalize relations with Israel a “new stab in the back” for the Palestinians.

Trump announced on Monday he would take Sudan off the terrorism list once it had deposited $335 million it had pledged to pay in compensation. Khartoum has since placed the funds in a special escrow account for victims of al-Qaida attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.

Shortly before the Israel-Sudan deal was announced, Trump notified Congress of “his intent to formally rescind Sudan's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.”