Israel forms relations with the newly formed South Sudan

On July 9th, 2011, and after years of bloodshed and horrible events (some of which are being investigated by the International court in Hague, some of which aren’t and doubtfully ever will be), South Sudan declared independence and became the 193^rd member of the United Nations. This was done at the end of a joint process with Sudan (now more commonly referred to as “North Sudan”) and after referendum agreed upon by both sides – 99% voted for the independent  state of South Sudan!

Even tough, the London-based Arabic paper, Al Sharq Al Aswat, reported on December 30th 1010, that in a meeting between South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, and Arab League cheif, Amr Moussa, Kiir promised Moussa that if a south Sudan country would be formed it will not have any relations with Israel, Israel and South Sudan formed diplomatic relations in on July 28th, 2011.

Yesterday, a first delegation from Israel visited South Sudan and met with Kiir. Kiir, embracing the Israeli delegation and country, and has talked warmly of the relations between the countries and referred to Israel as “our big brother”. Several Israeli companies are already in process to enter the new country and help grow its’ economy (currently very poor). For instance, Meir Greiver formed the South Sudan Development Company Ltd.

Kiir has also mentioned that Hamas urged him to not form ties with Israel, which he declined. He has also made it public that his country will soon open an Embassy in Israel.

Israel is currently the host of thousands of refugees (a.k.a asylum-seekers) from South Sudan. The South Sudanese have escaped the horror of the war and crossed Africa, making their way into Israel through the Israeli-Egyptian border through the Sinai Peninsula. Ever since the referendum, Israel has been quietly sending back refugees who sought to go back home (quietly because Sudan itself still does not recognize Israel or its’ sovereignty and the lives of those who escaped to Israel could have been harmed). Now that South Sudan is an independent state with close diplomatic ties with Israel, the two countries can work on getting people back to where once their lives were at stake and today are standing on their own.

Tags: Arab League, hamas, Israel, South Sudan, Sudan, UN