Media: Sudan military ruler's envoy secretly visits Israel to strengthen ties, seek military support

A personal envoy of Sudan’s military ruler, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, secretly visited Israel last week.

The envoy, Lieutenant General Sadiq Ismail, a former director of the Commander-in-Chief's office and now al-Burhan’s personal representative, visited Israel with the aim of securing Israeli support for Sudan in its ongoing conflict and advancing the normalization process between the two nations, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

The visit, which was kept under wraps, had a primary objective of engaging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a discussion about finalizing the normalization of ties between Sudan and Israel under the framework of the Abraham Accords. The envoy conveyed al-Burhan’s intention to proceed with the normalization process and to seek Israeli backing during the next stages of this diplomatic transition.

In his meeting, Ismail outlined Sudan’s position, emphasizing that the country’s recent diplomatic outreach to Iran—while concerning to Israel—was a move driven by necessity. With Sudan facing increasing regional and international isolation due to the ongoing internal conflict, al-Burhan sought to enhance his military position by seeking support from any available ally. This included a request for Israeli backing in the face of Sudan's increasingly dire situation.

The envoy also conveyed al-Burhan's frustrations with what he perceives as Israel’s lack of support throughout the two-year conflict. Despite a cooperation pact signed between Israel and Sudan five years ago, al-Burhan reportedly expected Israeli military aid to help defeat the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) early in the conflict. According to sources close to al-Burhan, the Sudanese leader felt that Israel’s discontent with Sudan’s turn toward Iran was unfounded, particularly as he turned to Iran due to a lack of Israeli military assistance.

The source further revealed that al-Burhan expressed a strong desire for Israeli support at this critical juncture, which he believes could improve bilateral relations and help shift public opinion in Sudan towards a more favorable view of Israel. This diplomatic effort reflects Sudan’s shifting priorities as it seeks to navigate its internal challenges and secure international backing during a time of heightened conflict and regional instability.

By Vafa Guliyeva