Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North chairman Abdelaziz al-Hilu and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir gesture after signing a declaration of principles between Sudanese Transitional government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North in Juba, South Sudan March 28, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Jok Solomun

i24 News – A source familiar with the situation disclosed on Wednesday that a presidential envoy from Sudan is currently in Israel to promote bilateral ties between the two countries.

The diplomat reportedly arrived in Israel towards the start of the week, the source informed Reuters.

Neither Israel nor Sudan voiced immediate confirmation of the visit through their respective government representatives.

Though Sudan advanced towards establishing ties with Israel in 2020 with an agreement subsequent to the Abraham Accords, the two countries still have not signed a deal to establish official diplomatic relations — but they have sent envoys to each other in the past.

The relationship between Sudan and Israel is historically rocky — Khartoum declared war on the Jewish state during both the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the Six Day War in 1967, and favoring closer relations with Israel is far from unanimous in Sudanese society.

Sudan’s civilian groups are hesitant to formalize ties with Israel. A source in-the-know on talks between the two states told Haaretz that “the internal situation in the country has made it difficult for Sudan to promote ties with Israel the same way the other countries have.”

Sudan’s military is said to be leading the initiative for warmer relations, according to Reuters.

On October 25, the country’s armed forces staged a military coup and took control of Sudan, a maneuver which prompted a number of protests from advocates of civilian rule across Khartoum and other cities.