Sudan repeals 1958 Israel boycott law amid normalization efforts

Sudan officially repeals the so-called Israel boycott law as part of the normalization efforts between Khartoum and Jerusalem.

The 1958 law is struck from the books, after a joint vote of the cabinet and the ruling sovereignty council, according to the country’s justice minister.

Sudanese demonstrators step on an Israeli flag during a rally against their country’s signing of a deal on normalizing relations with the Jewish state, outside the cabinet offices in the capital Khartoum, on January 17, 2021. (ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP)

The legislation barred the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel and forbade any business ties with the Jewish state. Penalties for those who violated its stipulations, such as trading with Israelis, included up to 10 years in prison and a hefty fine.

In January, Sudan signed onto the Abraham Accords with the United States, paving the way for the African country to normalize ties with Israel.