The President of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, briefed the members of the Council on his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Entebbe, Uganda, on Monday.
Burhan met with Netanyahu after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo invited the Sudanese official to visit Washington.
Prior to the meeting, Burhan announced that the key element in Sudan’s foreign affairs is the national interest, asserting that he is prepared to “knock on all doors that could assist us.”
He explained that the meeting aimed “to preserve and maintain Sudanese national security and achieve the supreme interests of the Sudanese people.”
Israeli news outlets unveiled the meeting that confused the political scene and surprised the Sudanese government which issued a statement saying the cabinet hadn't been informed of the meeting.
The government then met with the forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change, followed by another meeting with the security and defense council that included military and civil officials to reach a unified vision that can be presented to the public.
A source that is close to the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that Burhan provided a detailed explanation to the Sovereign Council regarding his meeting with Netanyahu, without issuing any official statement.
Minister of information and government spokesman Faisal Saleh issued a press statement saying the cabinet was not aware of the meeting, which was described by observers as a ‘violation of the government’s authorities.’
The source indicated that the council is concerned more with the overstepping of its authorities rather than with the meeting itself.
Meanwhile, the head of National Umma Party, Sadiq al-Mahdi, told a press conference that the meeting doesn't represent any kind of interest to anyone in Sudan.
He indicated that Israeli judicial authorities are after Netanyahu, and he is adopting a racist approach in leading Israel as a Jewish state.
“Netanyahu is following a policy of refusing the application of UN resolutions regarding the Palestinian cause as well as approaching a policy to seize control of others’ rights,” Mahdi added.
Head of Umma Party (Reform and Renewal Party), Mubarak al-Fadil al-Mahdi, hailed the meeting describing it as “bold and brave”, noting that it could pave the way for lifting the US sanctions and removing Sudan’s name from the so-called list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
Mubarak was a former member of the National Umma Party and defected to form the Umma Party (Reform and Renewal Party) (UPRR).
He added the meeting would “open a way to forgive Sudan’s debts, restore Sudan’s relations with international financial institutions to fund its economic development initiatives, achieve peace, and take advantage of Israeli agricultural techniques to develop the country’s agricultural and irrigation sector.”
He pointed out that many Arab countries had normalized ties with Israel, explaining that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict had ended and was undergoing international negotiations following the Oslo agreement.
The Sudanese Communist Party issued a statement considered the meeting a “betrayal” of the Sudanese struggle against imperialism and Zionism. He reiterated the party’s supportive stance to the Palestinian people and their right to establish a state, with Jerusalem as its capital.
