From a tyrannical government that has been civilized to the establishment of an internal agreement at the end of which the state is expected to become a democracy • The establishment of the "sovereign council" has taken the place of the military council, transformed Sudan's conception of foreign relations and led to the beginning of a relationship with the US

• Al Burhan // Archive photo: Reuters

The prime minister's meeting with Sudan's sovereign council chairman Abdul-Fateh al-Burhan is a defining moment in relations between the states, but also a result of drastic changes that the African state has undergone this past year and a profound change in government's rule of law and worldview.

In April last year, Omar Al Bashir, the tyrant who ruled the country from 1989, was ousted from office, which instituted in the country a corrupt violent government that suppressed the country's non-Arab minorities and forced a radical interpretation of Islam. Al Bashir waged a fierce war against the rebels in the western Darfur region, and against the Christian minority in South Sudan. Due to the cruelty of his conduct, Bashir in 2009 became the first incumbent leader charged in international court in The Hague for genocide and crimes against humanity.

PM Netanyahu Meets with President of Uganda // Photo: GPO

Al Bashir was also known as a supporter of various terrorist organizations and even provided a hiding place for Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the 1990s. Al Bashir's Sudan has become an ally of Iran and made available to Guardsmen who are revolutionizing the Port of Sudan and weapons manufacturing facilities, which they have sent to terrorist organizations in Gaza. In 2012, according to foreign sources, Israel attacked the "Yarmouk" factory producing weapons for the Hamas organization in Sudan. The facility was completely destroyed.

The end of Bashir's regime began to wreak havoc in December 2018 and sporadic protests began in various cities in Sudan. The brutal repression attempts repeatedly failed and became a protest movement that gradually paralyzed the country. In April of 2019, Al Bashir was ousted by a military coup, and a special military council took his place.

Protest leaders, who aspired to make Sudan a civilian democracy, refused to accept the military council's rule and protests continued and even grew. In June, an unprecedented massacre of protesters was carried out by the military in Khartoum, which left the military chiefs stunned and eventually led them to negotiate with the protesters and accept compromises in government arrangements. In July, an agreement was signed between the military council and protest organizations that allowed the drafting of a new constitution - a three-year plan to transition to civilian rule and democracy.

In August of last year, the military council began transferring powers to civilian bodies. According to the agreement, instead of a presidential institution, the "sovereign council" was chaired by former military councilor Abdul Fathah al-Burhan. The prime minister has been appointed civilian, economist Abdullah for the section that has formed a civilian government for the state.

After the government revolution, Sudan began to rethink its foreign relations. In August, the US lifted the sanctions over the country and began relations to establish relations between the states. In December, US Secretary of State Pompeo announced that the United States and Sudan would renew their diplomatic ties and replace ambassadors. Sudan began to shake off Iran's influence and unofficial reports claimed its new leaders Also looking for a way to get closer to Israel.

It is difficult to predict where the waves of history will direct Sudan and whether the fragile government in the country will succeed in defeating the challenges and maturing into democracy, but the meeting between Netanyahu and El Burhan leaves room for optimism.