An Israeli delegation will visit Khartoum in the coming days, following last month’s announced move toward normalization between Israel and Sudan, a cabinet source said Sunday.
The small delegation will focus on security cooperation between the two countries.
A larger delegation that will focus on economic issues, including water and agriculture, is expected to depart in the coming weeks, the source said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s adviser on the Arab world, a Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) operative identified as “Maoz,” will lead this week’s defense-focused delegation. Maoz, Netanyahu’s point man on Sudan, flew to Khartoum the day before the announced normalization to work out the final details.
Last month, Sudan and Israel announced they would establish diplomatic ties. The move came in conjunction with the US removing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
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 it is no longer on that list.
There likely will not be any more normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states in the coming year, the cabinet source said, adding that 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.”