Israel and Sudan have agreed to move toward forging normal relations for the first time, Israeli officials said on Monday after the leaders of the two former foes met in Uganda.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had two hours of talks with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan's sovereign council, in the city of Entebbe in central Uganda.
"It was agreed to start cooperation leading to normalization of the relationship between the two countries," an Israeli statement said.
Sudan's information minister and government spokesman, Faisal Salih, told Reuters he had no information about the visit and that the cabinet had not discussed it. Officials would wait for "clarifications" on Burhan's return, Salih said in a later statement.
Burhan is the most senior figure in the first phase of a power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilian parties in Sudan that began last August, following the overthrow of long-time Islamist ruler Omar al-Bashir.
Civilian authorities are due to take the lead for the final 18 months of the 39-month transition.Israel and Sudan will push to normalize relations: Israeli officials | Reuters | February 3, 2020
A smart move. Sudan’s new rulers are well aware that the Islamists are biding their time, hoping for more support from the military, before they move to regain control of government. Sudan’s new leaders obviously hope to use Israel’s vaunted intell agencies to block such a move. (For unbelievers, recall that in the last decade Israel twice knew where to attack Iranian activities operating in the Sudan.)