Israel announces it has ‘finalized’ text of normalization deal with Sudan

Jerusalem is close to signing a full normalization deal with Sudan, Israel’s foreign minister announces.

At a press conference at Ben Gurion Airport after landing back in Israel from Khartoum, Eli Cohen says that during his visit, he met with ruling General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, and the two sides “finalized the text of the agreement.”

A signing ceremony, however, is expected to wait until after Sudan completes a transition to a civilian government, Cohen says. The Foreign Ministry suggests that will occur in Washington within a few months, but such a transition timeline is far from clear.

Sudan has been gripped by deepening unrest since army chief Burhan led a coup in October 2021, derailing a transition to civilian rule following the 2019 ouster of longtime Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir.

“Today’s visit to Sudan lays the foundations for a historic peace agreement with a strategic Arab and Muslim country,” says Cohen. “The peace agreement between Israel and Sudan will promote regional stability and contribute to the national security of the State of Israel.”