Sudan’s Normalization with Israel: A Break with the Past or Another Phase of Extraversion?

Abstract

Sudan’s decision to normalize relations with Israel sparked controversy about its reasons for doing so and the potential impact on the country’s fragile political transition. The decision was mostly attributed to American pressures, new regional alliances, and Sudan’s economic crisis. Tawfik offers a different perspective by linking Sudan’s normalization with Israel to domestic power rivalries, suggesting that Sudanese political actors at critical historical moments have sought Israeli patronage to strengthen their power positions and exploring the potential implications of normalization on civil-military relations. In addition to relying on secondary sources, Tawfik draws conclusions based on official documents and interviews with Sudanese officials published by various news outlets.