Israeli envoy met with Sudanese officials and offered help to reconnect

A senior Israeli diplomat reportedly met with Sudanese officials at a secret meeting in Istanbul as part of efforts to restore ties between the two countries and even to establish full diplomatic relations.

The meeting took place about a year ago between a special envoy of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and a team of senior Sudanese officials, including the chief intelligence officer of the time, Mohamed Atta, reported Channel 10 news Tuesday night.

According to a source close to the meeting quoted by the channel, the two sides discussed the "warming of relations between countries and possible Israeli assistance to Sudan in the fields of medicine, agriculture and agriculture. of the economy ".

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The meeting, said the report, was part of Israel's efforts to establish diplomatic relations with a number of Central African countries and was known to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not comment on the meeting.

The report comes after Chadian leader Idriss Deby made a historic visit to the Jewish state and Netanyahu announced that he would soon be going to Nina Djamena to announce the resumption of diplomatic relations with the country. the predominantly Muslim country, nearly half a century after their departure. chopped off.

A senior Israeli official told Channel 10 that Deby's visit was preparing the ground for normalizing relations with Sudan, Mali and Niger, a country with a Muslim majority.

According to the report, Israel's diplomatic drive in Africa is partly motivated by the desire to facilitate air travel in Latin America. Flying into the airspace of traditionally hostile African countries – Chad and Sudan – would allow airlines to offer faster, more direct flights between Israel and the continent.

A direct flight from Israel to Brazil via Brazil could reduce the average journey, which currently lasts at least 17 hours, to approximately four hours, and requires a stopover in Europe or North America.

Israel has long been wary of Sudan, which was traditionally considered to be close to Iran. However, in early 2017, Khartoum joined the Sunni ranks of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to sever ties with the Islamic Republic.

At the time, the country also seemed to make openings to Israel. Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said in an interview in 2016 that Sudan was open to the idea of ​​normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for lifting US sanctions against Khartoum. According to media reports in the Hebrew language of the time, Israeli diplomats reportedly tried to build support for Sudan within the international community after the break-up of ties with Tehran.

In the past, Sudan would have served as a relay for the transfer of Iranian arms to the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza. Israel reportedly intercepted and destroyed weapons transfers from Sudan to Gaza.

In 2009, the International Criminal Court also issued an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, linked to the bloody conflict in the Darfur region. Where is.

However, since it has broken off relations with Iran, Sudan is no longer perceived by Israel as a threat, but rather as a potential ally.

Netanyahu described Deby's unprecedented visit as the result of his hard-earned diplomatic efforts, evoking his three visits to Africa over the past two years and his surprise trip to Oman in October.

The visit to Oman, a major diplomatic victory for Netanyahu, was an apparent sign of Israeli progress in improving relations with the Gulf countries.

Also on Sunday, Netanyahu added that "there will soon be more visits of this type in the Arab countries," without providing details.