General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Sudan's Transitional Leader: Sudan Intends To Establish Full Relations With Israel; We Are Not Hostile To Any Nation Or Religion

Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty council, said in a December 3, 2021 interview on Al-Arabiya Network (Saudi Arabia) that he does not want to be the President of Sudan once the government's transitional period is over. In addition, he said that Sudan intends to maintain full diplomatic relations with Israel because it wants to prove to the world that it is open and because it has no interest in being hostile to any nation or religion. He said that the establishment of full relations with Israel, including exchanging ambassadors with Israel, is a step that needs to be approved by Sudan's legislative council. General Al-Burhan also said that it is possible for this to happen even during the transitional phase.

Interviewer: "Will you agree to run for president if the people ask for this?"

Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan: "Ask for what?"

Interviewer: "Ask you to run for president in the presidential elections."

Al-Burhan: "Absolutely not."

Interviewer: "Will you agree?"

Al-Burhan: "No."

Interviewer: "Do you want to continue with your transitional task until you return to where you were before?"

Al-Burhan: "Definitely, yes."

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Interviewer: "What happened with [the normalization]? Are you in contact with Israel?"

Al-Burhan: "I believe that the issue of Sudan's ties with Israel was essential to enable Sudan's return to the international community, because we do not bear hostility towards anyone, we want to prove to the world that we are open, and it is not in our best interest to be hostile towards any religion, nation, or anyone.

"We can have normal relations with Israel, just like any other country."

Interviewer: "Is this in line with your personal belief?"

Al-Burhan: "Absolutely."

Interviewer: "Is this your personal approach, despite the military doctrine in the Arab wolrd?"

Al-Burhan: "The military doctrine has nothing to do with Israel."

Interviewer: "[Military doctrine] in Sudan has nothing to do with Israel?"

Al-Burhan: "In the past, at the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s, it was like that, but the word 'Israel' was erased from the Sudanese military doctrine in 1982 or 1983."

Interviewer: "When are you going to establish diplomatic relations between Sudan and Israel?"

Al-Burhan: "Whenever the circumstances are appropriate, and whenever the issue is brought before the relevant authorities.

Interviewer: "What prevents this from happening now?"

Al-Burhan: "The issue of establishing full relations [with Israel] will be presented to the legislative authorities."

Interviewer: "So what you are saying is that this will not happen before the establishment of the Legislative Council?"

Al-Burhan: "Eventually, the ties [with Israel] will assume their natural form."

Interviewer: "But before that happens, this must be announced, the two countries must exchange ambassadors, and so on. Can this happen during the transitional period?

Al-Burhan: "If the political forces agree on that – through the Legislative Councill – then this may happen."