Normalization Deal Between Israel, Sudan Might Collapse

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that the normalization agreement between Israel and Sudan, signed on October 23, might collapse.

According to reports, Khartoum agreed to sign the agreement in exchange for its removal from the list of states sponsoring terrorism.

The newspaper said that Sudan has set the end of this year, 2020, as a deadline for removing it from the list, otherwise, the normalization process will be suspended.

It was revealed that in a conversation between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Sudanese transitional government, the latter made it clear that the deal with Israel would not go forward until the US Congress votes to remove Khartoum from the blacklist.

Ilan Goldenberg, director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, told the newspaper that I felt that the whole thing was forced by an administration that wanted to use the classification of terrorism as a political tool to try to normalize relations with Israel."

Five officials, as well as other people with knowledge of the talks who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the new deadline as well as recent discussions on the matter.

According to the New York Times report, Sudanese officials say the country will dismiss the normalization process with Israel if the US Congress refuses to give it immunity from future terrorism claims in court, which could spark new sanctions.