عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Sudan, Oman Attend Peace Accord Signing in US, Envoy Predicts Morocco Next to Join

The UAE FM speaks as Israeli PM Netanyahu (L), US President Trump (2-L) and Bahrain FM Zayani (R) look on during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords at the White House September 15, 2020. (AFP)
The UAE FM speaks as Israeli PM Netanyahu (L), US President Trump (2-L) and Bahrain FM Zayani (R) look on during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords at the White House September 15, 2020. (AFP)
    Washington, Khartoum – Asharq Al-Awsat and Ahmed Younis
TT
20
TT

Sudan, Oman Attend Peace Accord Signing in US, Envoy Predicts Morocco Next to Join

The UAE FM speaks as Israeli PM Netanyahu (L), US President Trump (2-L) and Bahrain FM Zayani (R) look on during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords at the White House September 15, 2020. (AFP)
The UAE FM speaks as Israeli PM Netanyahu (L), US President Trump (2-L) and Bahrain FM Zayani (R) look on during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords at the White House September 15, 2020. (AFP)

A Sudanese diplomatic delegation attended on Tuesday the signing ceremony in Washington of the normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain with Israel.

Oman’s ambassador to the United States was also present at the landmark event.

Former US peace envoy Dennis Ross, meanwhile, predicted that other Arab countries will follow the example of the UAE and Bahrain. He said that Sudan, Oman and Morocco were probably next to sign accords with Israel.

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that Sudan’s deputy ambassador to the US Amira Agaraib was present at the ceremony.

Amichai Stein, Israeli correspondent at the Kann diplomatic desk and Israeli public broadcasting corporation, tweeted that Agaraib was in attendance even though Sudan and Israel do not have diplomatic ties.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had during a visit to Sudan in August requested that the government normalize relations with Israel and Washington would in return remove the country from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok informed him that since he is heading a transitional government, it does not have the mandate to sign such an accord. He also refused to link the normalization to Sudan’s removal from the terror list.

US President Donald Trump had announced minutes before Tuesday’s ceremony that five or six Arab countries will soon ink similar deals with Israel. He did not name the countries, but observers said that Sudan was probably one of them.

Sudan's ambassador to the US, Noureldin Satti, told Newsweek last week that his government will support any deal that brings peace to the region, though stressed normalization with Israel is not a fait accompli.

"The Sudanese government has not pronounced itself formally on the Israel-UAE deal," he explained. "As a peacemaker, I believe that whatever is good for peace is good for the region. The region needs peace more than anything else, but peace has to be inclusive and all-embracing."

"As things stand today, it is difficult to say that the Sudanese people are ready and willing to normalize ties with Israel," he added. "This is a highly controversial issue and the Sudanese people need time to weigh the pros and cons. But, yet again, the issue of incentives and dividends is important."

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
TT
20
TT

Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.