Sudan has threatened to freeze the normalization deal with Israel if it’s not removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism by the end of 2020, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Removal from the terrorism sponsors list was the carrot that the US used to impel the African country to agree to normalize relations with Israel. Sudan is in desperate need of international aid and loans that require removal from the list and also wants to be granted immunity from lawsuits by terrorism victims.

The Trump administration has begun the process to remove Sudan from the list but apparently it is not being accomplished quickly enough for Sudanese leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, who told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that if the bill isn’t passed by the end of 2020, he would freeze the normalization process with Israel, the report said.

Pompeo promised al-Burhan that the bill will be approved by Congress in the coming weeks.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)