Over the past few weeks, speculations have been predicting an approaching peace deal between Sudan and Israel following in the steps of the UAE and Bahrain, as a US condition to remove Sudan's name from the list of states that promote terrorism. However, a tweet posted last night by the US President Donald Trump has announced an agreement between him and the Sudanese Prime Minister to take Sudan's name off the list as soon as Sudan pays $335 million to families of US victims of terrorism.
The US president has said that he is willing to remove Sudan from a US terror blacklist once it pays an agreed compensation package to American victims and their relatives.https://t.co/RUUn2AfKpy
— DW News (@dwnews) October 19, 2020
The announcement made on Twitter only two weeks before the US Presidential elections has come as an achievement for both the US president looking to win a re-election and the Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who has been praised for his efforts to alleviate the economic troubles suffered in the country over several decades.
Thank you so much, President Trump! We very much look forward to your official notification to Congress rescinding the designation of Sudan as a state-sponsor of terrorism, which has cost Sudan too much. https://t.co/GeScTPfb0k
— Abdalla Hamdok (@SudanPMHamdok) October 19, 2020
However, many press sources have been reporting US growing pressure on a number of Arab states to sign peace deals and establish full diplomatic ties with Israel, including Sudan, which has been suffering severe economic consequences of being listed on the US list of states sponsoring terrorism.
Sudan rejects linking removal from U.S. terrorism list with Israel ties https://t.co/spsQz3gow8 pic.twitter.com/FRU4YpsOcI
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 26, 2020
Sudanese people deserve better treatment from US administration either republican or Democrat they won their freedom bravely from dictatorship then backed by US authorities all through after all this they have to pay from their moderate means 4 crimes they haven’t committed
— ?Sudan Daily? (@UmmaAnsar) October 20, 2020
According to many sources, Sudanese officials had conflicting views on normalization with Israel, especially as the Sudanese transition PM Hamdok stated that taking such a step "requires a deep discussion amongst the Sudanese community."
Ever since the Sudanese political regime witnessed a major change last year; as a 30-year long rule of Omar al-Bashir was overthrown following mass protests, the new Sudanese government has exerted every effort to get rid of international sanctions imposed on it.
While this achievement is celebrated by both the US and Sudanese governments, the question remains whether this newly-announced deal between Sudan and the US will replace the US condition of a peace deal between Sudan and Israel.
Trump says he will remove Sudan from a list of state sponsors of terrorism in a pre-election gambit that U.S. officials expect will lead to it recognizing Israel and paying millions to families of terrorism victims. From @John_Hudson and @maxbearak https://t.co/KXpqMyPLUO
— Alan Sipress (@AlanSipress) October 19, 2020