Israel to Send First Delegation to Sudan After Normalising Ties, Media Reports

Since September 2020, Tel Aviv has normalised ties with three new Arab states, mediated by the US, after decades without progress in regards to the Jewish state's recognition by regional powers.

Israel is planning to send its first delegation to Sudan since the African Arab state agreed to normalise ties with Tel Aviv on 23 October, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous source.

Neither Israeli nor Sudanese officials have commented on the report on the alleged upcoming delegation's visit. It is unclear what its primary task will be during the reported visit to the country; however, the two states earlier suggested that economic ties and trade, especially related to the agricultural sector, will be among the first matters to be discussed since their bilateral relations reached a new level.

(L-R)Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan hold up documents after participating in the signing of the Abraham Accords where the countries of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates recognize Israel, at the White House in Washington, DC, September 15, 2020.

© AFP 2023 / SAUL LOEB

Sudan became the third Arab country to agree to establish diplomatic ties with the Jewish state in the past few months, thus becoming the fifth Arab country to do so. The breakthrough in bilateral ties was achieved with mediation by the US. Soon after, Washington removed Sudan from its list of terrorism sponsors.

Prior to Sudan, two Gulf states, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signed the so-called Abraham Accords with Israel, also with help from the US and President Donald Trump, thus also establishing diplomatic ties with the country. The UAE agreed to make the move, which was condemned by Iran and the Palestinian Authority's leaders, after Israel agreed to put its plans to extend sovereignty over certain parts of the West Bank on hold.