Israel's Influence on Sudan's Warring Generals
Israel is using its relationships with the generals leading the Sudanese military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group to urge them to immediately end the fighting in the country. Israel's normalization process with Sudan puts it in a unique position to influence the two warring generals.
Barak Ravid
Diplomatic Correspondent at Walla News. Axios Middle East Correspondent. Author of Trump's Peace. See link in Bio to order the book👇👇👇
-
1 \ Israel is using its relationships with the generals leading the Sudanese military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group to urge them to immediately end the fighting in the country, Israeli officials told me. My story on @axios https://t.co/t8w60dCQq2
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
2 \ Why it matters: Israel's normalization process with Sudan & the relationships it built with both Army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan & RSF leader Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, AKA Hemedti, put it in a unique position to try to influence the two warring generals
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
3 \ Israel also has motivation. Israeli officials told me they are highly concerned that the current fighting will devastate the country, prevent the formation of a civilian government, and end any prospects for a peace agreement between Israel and Sudan
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
4 \ Sudan was part of the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords between Israel and several Arab countries in 2020. But the military takeover of Sudan a year later led to the suspension of U.S. aid and the freezing of the normalization process between Israel and Sudan
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
5 \ Behind the scenes: The Israeli Foreign Ministry in recent years has been engaging with al-Burhan on the normalization process, and the Mossad intelligence agency has been engaging with Hemedti on security and counterterrorism issues, Israeli officials said
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
6 \ Before the fighting began, Israeli officials said they were closely following the talks in Sudan about the framework agreement that was supposed to lead to the appointment of a civilian-led government
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
7 \ When Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen visited Khartoum in February, he urged al-Burhan to move forward with giving power back to a civilian government and made it clear that it will be difficult to reach a peace treaty without it
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
8 \ A senior Israeli official said that last week the Israeli government was sure that an agreement on appointing a civilian government was coming in days, if not hours, and was frustrated when the deal fell apart and the fighting began over the weekend
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
9 \ Israeli officials said that the White House & State Department on Sunday urged Israel to help in pressing the two warring generals to agree to a cease-fire. Israel's Foreign Ministry spoke to Burhan’s side, while the Mossad spoke to Hemedti's side & urged both to de-escalate
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
10 \ What to watch: The Israeli official decision was not to take sides in the crisis and not get involved in any mediation efforts other than urging a cease-fire, the three Israeli officials said
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023 -
11 \ But the officials added that they think the best way to stop the fighting is for the African Union & several of Sudan’s neighbors to urgently send a delegation to Khartoum & start diplomatic talks & give guarantees to both sides that will convince them to stop fighting. END
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 19, 2023