Sudan diplomat: Military coup will not impact ties with Israel

A senior Sudanese diplomat said yesterday that the military coup in his country is not expected to dramatically affect the normalisation process with Israel, Israeli media reported.

Speaking to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, the diplomat said that the many of the military leaders support the normalisation of ties with Israel.

He also said that the takeover has strengthened the position of the military as the government was dissolved and a state of emergency was declared in the country.

“The military made a big mistake by throwing away the partnership with the civilian officials. They are underestimating the response of the people, which is fed up with military coups, and they may face an uprising.”

READ: Military kills 3, injures 80 during anti-coup protests in Sudan

Kan reported the Sudanese diplomat saying that ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had intended to travel to Washington soon to formally sign the normalisation deal.

Sources have told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the internal situation in Sudan “made it difficult” for Khartoum “to advance contacts with Israel as the other countries did.”

Sudan agreed to normalise ties with Israel in October last year, just months before the US removed it from its list of state sponsors of terrorism allowing for greater international financial investments.

Yesterday the military in Sudan dissolved the transitional government and detained Prime Minister Hamdok, numerous other officials have also been detained or are uncontactable. A state of emergency has been declared in what the Sudanese have called a coup against the revolution.

READ: Sudan army dissolves transitional government, in apparent military coup