Oct 27, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Sudan’s top general, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has denied that Sudan gave in to US’ blackmail when it agreed to normalise relations with Israel.
On Sunday, the Sudanese foreign ministry said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had demanded normalisation with Israel with a view to removing Khartoum from the terror list during his visit to the Sudanese capital in August.
The announcement normalisation of relations between Sudan and Israel came as Washington said it was removing Khartoum from a state sponsors of terrorism “blacklist”.
According to Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Sudan had long sought to be removed from the list, and its demands grew after autocratic president Omar al-Bashir was ousted in 2019.
“We were not blackmailed over normalisation,” Burhan said in an interview on state television.
Burhan added that “reconciliation” was “in the interest of Sudan”.
“We are isolated and have suffered from sanctions,” he said.
“The removal of our name from the list… will allow us to return to the international community. We will benefit economically and get technology,” he said.
The normalization of relationships with Israel did not sit well with critics who accused the country of betrayal.
Critics in Sudan have accused the authorities of betraying the “pan-Arab cause” and the Palestinians by agreeing to normalisation with the Jewish state.
“We all want a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders… but we do not want to make Sudan bear full responsibility for it,” the general said.
On Sunday, Sudan said there would be a joint meeting with Israel “in the coming weeks, to discuss and conclude cooperation agreements in the fields of agriculture, trade, economy, aviation, migration and other issues”.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Jewish state was sending $5 million worth of wheat to Sudan, as it grapples with renewed protests over shortages of staples.
