Sudan reaches out to Israel in bid to secure lifeline amid war and isolation

In a covert diplomatic maneuver, a senior envoy of Sudanese military ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited Israel last week, seeking to breathe new life into stalled normalization efforts and secure critical support as Sudan’s internal conflict deepens. 

The secret visit was first reported by Sudanese newspaper Al-Rakoba.

The envoy, Al-Sadiq Ismail — a trusted confidant and former chief of staff to al-Burhan — was dispatched to deliver a clear message: Sudan remains committed to normalization with Israel and urgently requires political backing to stabilize its precarious position both at home and abroad.

According to the report, the Sudanese mission focused on recalibrating ties with Israel in light of shifting regional dynamics, particularly with the new administration in Washington and rising concerns among Gulf allies like the United Arab Emirates. 

Sudan offered to accelerate the signing of normalization agreements in return for Israeli diplomatic and potentially military support.

At the heart of the discussions lay Israeli unease over Sudan’s recent flirtations with Iran — a development that has raised alarms in Jerusalem.

Ismail sought to allay these fears, framing Khartoum’s outreach to Tehran not as a strategic realignment but as a desperate measure forced upon a regime battered by regional isolation and an intensifying civil war. 

Without viable alternatives, Sudan had little choice but to seek military aid from wherever it could be secured.

Sources close to al-Burhan conveyed frustration over what they perceive as Israel’s abandonment. Despite five years of quiet cooperation, they argue that promised Israeli assistance never materialized when it was most needed, leaving Khartoum little option but to turn to Iran for survival.

The envoy reportedly conveyed Sudan’s willingness to meet all Israeli conditions to finalize normalization “as quickly as possible,” signaling Khartoum’s recognition that support from Jerusalem — and by extension, Washington — remains essential to its survival in an increasingly volatile region.