Sudan will be third Arab country to broker normalization deal with Israel

US President Donald Trump announced a third US-brokered peace deal.

By REUTERS, OMRI NAHMIAS, CELIA JEAN

OCTOBER 23, 2020 22:57

US President, Donald Trump has announced that Sudan and Israel have agreed to the normalization of relations.

“Today we announce another dramatic breakthrough towards peace,” he said. “Today Khartoum says yes to peace with Israel, yes to acknowledging Israel and yes to normalization with Israel. This is a new era, an era of true peace.”

In a statement in which he thanked Trump for brokering the deal, Netanyahu also said that Israeli and Sudanese delegations would meet soon to discuss commercial, agricultural, aviation, migration issues and other areas for the benefit of the two peoples.

“The skies of Sudan are now open to Israel, which allows direct and short flights between Israel, Africa and South America,” Netanyahu said.

“In light of this historic progress, and following President Trump’s decision to remove Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, the United States and Israel agreed to partner with Sudan in its new start and ensure that it is fully integrated into the international community,” a joint statement of the three countries read.

“The United States will take steps to restore Sudan’s sovereign immunity and to engage its international partners to reduce Sudan’s debt burdens, including advancing discussions on debt forgiveness consistent with the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.  The United States and Israel also committed to working with their partners to support the people of Sudan in strengthening their democracy, improving food security, countering terrorism and extremism, and tapping into their economic potential.”

Shortly before the announcement. President Trump informed Congress of his intent to formally rescind Sudan’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.

“This follows on Sudan’s recent agreement to resolve certain claims of United States victims of terror and their families,” a statement by Judd Deere, the White House Deputy Press Secretary read. It also noted that yesterday, the transitional government of Sudan transferred $335 million into an escrow account for these victims and their families.

“By finally serving justice for the American people, President Trump was able to achieve what previous presidents could not – the resolution of longstanding claims of victims of the East Africa embassy bombings, the attack on the USS Cole, and the murder of USAID employee John Granville,” Trump said in a statement. “This is a significant achievement for the President and his Administration and brings a measure of closure to many to whom it has long been out of reach.”

President Trump held a conference call in front of reporters at the Oval Office with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Prime Minister of Sudan. Netanyahu thanked Trump for brokering the agreement and said: “We are expanding the circle of peace so rapidly with your leadership.”

Trump said that there are “many, many more coming.” and that there were “at least five” who wanted to come in to the deal.