‘Sudan taking Israeli threats seriously’: FA minister

03/08/2014 14:10

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti, announced that the government is taking Israeli threats against Sudan seriously. Karti said in a press statement released on Saturday that the Sudanese defence forces are braced to withstand any Israeli attack. He called on the Sudanese people to remain vigilant and attentive to what he called “childish Israeli actions”. “They are searching for any scapegoat.” He said that the Israeli position towards Sudan “stems from a long time ago, since we announced our support for the Palestinian cause”. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in continuous contact with our Arab friends, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, to stop the Israeli violence against the Palestinian people. We need to be vigilant. What we are doing at home is stronger than everything else, as Israel does not recognise the United Nations, or anything.” On 18 July, a large explosion occurred at an ammunition warehouse in El Geili military training camp, north of Khartoum. The authorities said that the explosion was caused by a “local fire”. Sudanese sources, however, told the London-based daily Al-Arab that Sudan was merely trying to cover the tracks of its cooperation with the Palestinian Hamas, as President Omar Al Bashir tries to convince the USA and the Arab Gulf states that his country is no longer a sponsor of terrorism. Al Bashir, the daily reported, met with Hamas’ political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal in Doha, early July. Israel reportedly struck Sudanese territory before in a bid to preempt the delivery of weapons to Hamas. Three air strikes carried out in March 2009 destroyed a convoy of lorries in western Sudan reportedly carrying long-range Iranian missiles to the Gaza Strip. The attack on the Yarmouk weapons plant in Khartoum in October 2012 was also believed to be the result of an Israeli air strike targeting arms destined for Hamas. File photo: Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal meets with President Al Bashir in Khartoum, August 2008 (Abd Raouf/AP) Related: Israeli navy seizes arms ship near Port Sudan (6 March 2014) Sudan accuses Israel of bombing arms factory (25 October 2012)Police official: Israel possibly bombed car near Port Sudan (7 April 2011)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti, announced that the government is taking Israeli threats against Sudan seriously.

Karti said in a press statement released on Saturday that the Sudanese defence forces are braced to withstand any Israeli attack. He called on the Sudanese people to remain vigilant and attentive to what he called “childish Israeli actions”. “They are searching for any scapegoat.”

He said that the Israeli position towards Sudan “stems from a long time ago, since we announced our support for the Palestinian cause”.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in continuous contact with our Arab friends, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, to stop the Israeli violence against the Palestinian people. We need to be vigilant. What we are doing at home is stronger than everything else, as Israel does not recognise the United Nations, or anything.”

On 18 July, a large explosion occurred at an ammunition warehouse in El Geili military training camp, north of Khartoum. The authorities said that the explosion was caused by a “local fire”.

Sudanese sources, however, told the London-based daily Al-Arab that Sudan was merely trying to cover the tracks of its cooperation with the Palestinian Hamas, as President Omar Al Bashir tries to convince the USA and the Arab Gulf states that his country is no longer a sponsor of terrorism.

Al Bashir, the daily reported, met with Hamas’ political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal in Doha, early July.

Israel reportedly struck Sudanese territory before in a bid to preempt the delivery of weapons to Hamas. Three air strikes carried out in March 2009 destroyed a convoy of lorries in western Sudan reportedly carrying long-range Iranian missiles to the Gaza Strip. The attack on the Yarmouk weapons plant in Khartoum in October 2012 was also believed to be the result of an Israeli air strike targeting arms destined for Hamas.

File photo: Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal meets with President Al Bashir in Khartoum, August 2008 (Abd Raouf/AP)

Related:

 Israeli navy seizes arms ship near Port Sudan (6 March 2014)

Sudan accuses Israel of bombing arms factory (25 October 2012)

Police official: Israel possibly bombed car near Port Sudan (7 April 2011)