Sudan and Israel agreed on Friday, October 24, to begin the normalization of their diplomatic relations after an American mediation.

US President Donald Trump secured the deal in a telephone interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sudanese government chief Abdalla Hamdok and Transitional Council chairman Abdel Fattah al Bourhan.

Sudan is the third Arab country since August to announce a normalization of its relations with Israel, after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. 

This announcement prompted many reactions around the world.

The United States, which worked for this rapprochement, of course welcomed it.

"HUGE victory for the United States and for peace in the world. Sudan has accepted a peace and normalization agreement with Israel!" Donald Trump tweeted.

He said "at least five" more Arab countries planned to follow in Khartoum's footsteps, in a telephone interview with the prime ministers of Sudan and Israel shortly after the announcement.

"And we'll have a lot more than that soon," he added.

HUGE win today for the United States and for peace in the world.

Sudan has agreed to a peace and normalization agreement with Israel!

With the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that's THREE Arab countries to have done so in only a matter of weeks.

More will follow!

pic.twitter.com/UHB8H6oaZc

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2020

Egypt's congratulations

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the development of diplomatic relations with Sudan a "tremendous turnaround", the Palestinian presidency for its part condemned and rejected the agreement "with the Israeli occupation country which usurps the land Palestinian ".

"No one has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause," she continued.

Hazem Qassem, official spokesperson for Hamas, the Islamist movement in power in the Gaza Strip, also sharply criticized the rapprochement, calling it "a political sin which harms the Palestinian people and their just cause and also harms the interest National Sudan ".

"It only benefits Netanyahu," he concluded.

In Egypt, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose country was the first in the region to forge diplomatic relations with the Jewish state in 1979, on the other hand "hailed the joint efforts of the United States, Sudan and Israel regarding the normalization of relations between Sudan and Israel. "

"I appreciate all efforts aimed at achieving stability and peace in the region," he tweeted.

ارحب بالجهود المشتركة للولايات المتحدة الامريكية والسودان واسرائيل حول تطبيع العلاقات بين السودان واسرائيل واثمن كافة الجهود الهادفة لتحقيق الاستقرار والسلام الإقليميين

- Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) October 23, 2020

Critics of Iran

Bahrain, which signed a normalization agreement with Israel in September, also congratulated the two countries for this "historic step", in a statement from its foreign ministry.

Manama reiterated his support to Sudan "in its relentless efforts for the transition to a new stage of development, progress and prosperity, and to exercise an active and constructive role in the international community".

The United Arab Emirates, which also normalized relations with Israel this summer, also applauded Sudan's decision to forge ties with the Hebrew state.

"Sudan's decision to establish relations with the State of Israel is an important step for the consolidation of security and prosperity in the region", according to the foreign ministry quoted by the official news agency emirati.

>> To read and see on France 24: Israel, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed historic agreements under the aegis of Trump

Finally, sworn enemy of Israel and the United States, Tehran castigated the decision announced by Washington.

“The White House announcement on Sudan could not be more symbolic. Pay enough ransom, close your eyes to crimes against the Palestinians and you will be removed from the so-called 'terrorism' blacklist. is as bogus as the United States' fight against terrorism. Shameful! "Iranian diplomacy tweeted.

The White House announcement on #Sudan couldn't be more symbolic.



Pay enough ransom, close your eyes on the crimes against Palestinians, then you'll be taken off the so-called "terrorism" blacklist.



Obviously the list is as phony as the US fight against terrorism.

Shameful!

- Iran Foreign Ministry 🇮🇷 (@IRIMFA_EN) October 24, 2020

With AFP and Reuters

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