A second, larger Israeli delegation is planned to depart in the coming weeks. The second delegation will focus on economic issues, including water and agriculture.
Sudanese protesters chant slogans as they gather ahead of a rally to put pressure on the government to improve conditions and push ahead with reform in Khartoum, Sudan October 21, 2020.
(photo credit: REUTERS/ MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH)
An Israeli delegation will go to Khartoum in the coming days, following the announced move towards normalization between the countries, a cabinet source said on Sunday.
This week’s small delegation will focus on security cooperation between the two countries.
A second, larger Israeli delegation is planned to depart in the coming weeks. The second delegation will focus on economic issues, including water and agriculture.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s adviser on the Arab world, a Shin Bet operative nicknamed “Maoz,” will lead this week’s defense-focused delegation. Maoz has been Netanyahu’s point person on Sudan, who flew to Khartoum the day before the announced normalization to work out the final details.
Sudan and Israel announced last month that they would be establishing diplomatic ties. The move came in conjunction with the US removing Sudan from its state sponsors of terror list, as Sudan has been in the process of transitioning to democracy since the ouster of dictator Omar al-Bashir last year.
The US is expected to provide Sudan with major economic aid and debt relief, and Khartoum will have access to loans and other aid now that they are no longer on that list.
The cabinet source also said he does not expect there to be any other normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states in the coming year, because they are waiting to see what US president-elect Joe Biden’s policies will be.
“The Saudis will now sit and wait and see what the American policy will be,” the source said. “They will ask for something big from the Americans to get peace with Israel. They don’t know what to ask for because they don’t know Biden’s policy.”
