Up until recently, the African Muslim country was a safe haven and major ally of the terror organization
By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)
The impossible happened! Sudan, until December considered by the US to be one of the world’s leading sponsors of terrorism, has dealt a stunning and surprising blow against Hamas (until recently its earnest ally). The north African country has seized several (multi-million dollar) businesses linked (and subsequently laundered) to the terror organization including a property firm, high-rise luxury hotel, a money transfer company, and an agricultural entity.
For Hamas, this could not come at a worse time. The cash-strapped Islamic terrorist organization was already struggling to provide for the residents of Gaza, whom they rule with an Iron fist. Due to Hamas policies, Gazans have only 4-12 hours of electricity and little access to fresh drinking water (although the Hamas ruling elite live in luxury high-rises with air conditioning and 24-hour electricity, paid for predominately with foreign aid meant for its citizens). Almost 65% of Gazans are unemployed and the economy is 80% dependent on international aid. Despite the poverty, 55% of Hamas’ budget is spent on its military infrastructure and 35% of fuel donated by countries like Qatar, earmarked solely for poor civilians, is instead sold by Hamas to buy weapons to use against Israeli civilians. As a result, many countries (including many wealthy Arab nations) have designated them as a terror organization with heavy sanctions, making it illegal to do any business with them and cutting them off from banking systems, leaving Hamas with little hard cash left. Hamas not only has been unable to provide for its citizens but are increasingly unable to pay their own employees (many of their civil servants have been fired and others have had their pay cut by 50%). Hamas had become increasingly fearful of it’s oppressed (and discontented) subjects. Having its “cash cows” in Sudan suddenly taken away from them is a big deal.
Their loss of Sudan as an ally has repercussions that extend deeper than these companies. Hamas got preferential treatment in tenders, tax forgiveness, and were allowed to transfer to Gaza with no limits. Because of the banking sanctions levelled against Hamas, Sudan acted as a vital middle man between the terror organization and countries like Iran, giving them one of their few access points to hard cash.
Sudan has a long history of supporting terror. In 1989, General Omar Al-Bashir (an Islamic extremist) led a bloody military coup and proclaimed himself president. He was a brutal dictator who cruelly murdered his opponents and was responsible for the infamous ethnic cleansing committed by his Sudanese Arab allies against the Black population of Darfur. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed and millions were displaced and/or left homeless. The former Head of State was a boon for terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, Islamic Jihad and Hamas, and issued passports to thousands of them including former Hamas’s head Khalid Mashaal. He even allowed Osama Bin Laden to live openly in Khartoum, the capital.
In 2019, the citizens rebelled against Al-Bashir and the military arrested him (he has been imprisoned ever since). The new leaders of Sudan wanted a fresh start to rebuild their economy (although oil-rich, the country is one of the least developed in the world). In order to remove the sanctions and be able to do business with the rest of the world, it was essential for them to get the US to agree to remove them as a sponsor of terrorism. With these changes, then President Donald Trump saw a unique opportunity. He agreed to remove the sanctions if Sudan would make peace with Israel and take a tough stance against terror. They also agreed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to the victims of Bin Laden’s terror attacks (Bin Laden partially planned them while living there). In order to prove to the US that they were serious, they immediately suspended more than 3000 passports that were issued to non-Sudanese terrorists (including Khalid Mashaal) and it seems they are taking other actions as well. If Sudan continues to abide by their commitments, Islamic terrorist organizations have just lost a major supporter!
Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.
Unique Sites of Israel Blog 