By Wasil Ali

February 25, 2008 (PARIS) — A Darfur rebel group announced today that they have inaugurated an office in Israel, according to a press release received today by Sudan Tribune.

Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur

“We are telling our people that we opened Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) office in Israel” the statement read.

The SLM faction led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur praised the Israeli government “for protecting Darfur youth from genocide”

Al-Nur, speaking to Sudan Tribune by phone from Paris, confirmed the inauguration of the office.

“The office was created by some of the SLM members who sought refuge in Israel from the killings by the Sudanese government. This is our normal practice in any part of the world where we have a presence” the rebel leader said.

“We believe in transparency with our people. We have nothing to hide or be ashamed of” he added.

AL-Nur said the SLM “has a vision for a liberal, secular state in Sudan. As such we encourage tolerance towards all religions and ethnicities as well as peaceful coexistence”.

Sudanese refugees, particularly from Darfur where a rebellion has cost more than 200,000 civilian lives and made 2.5 million homeless, have been sneaking into Israel in increasing numbers over the past year through the Egyptian borders.

This year, Israel granted temporary residency status to 600 refugees from Darfur. Many Israelis feel an obligation to help refugees because of the centuries of persecution Jews endured before they created their own state.

“The revolution that started in Darfur intends to change some of the norms in Sudan including the taboo regarding the relations with Israel” Al-Nur said.

“Our vision of Sudan as we see it would allow for the opening of an Israeli embassy in Khartoum as long as it is in line with the interests of the Sudanese people” he added.

Israel considers Sudan, a Muslim-dominated country, an “enemy state” and maintains a policy of not allowing citizens of a state with this classification of residing in the country.

Sudan has no diplomatic relations established with Israel and remains hostile to the Jewish state on the grounds that it is occupying Arab lands.

Asked whether he fears the backlash of Arab and Islamic sentiment in Sudan and elsewhere Al-Nur said that he does not “customize the fundamental policies of the SLM to appeal to certain groups of people”.

“Our opinion on the Palestinian Israeli conflict is clear. We want both sides to reach an accord that would allow them to live peacefully together”.

International experts estimate 200,000 people have died in the conflict, which Washington calls genocide, a term European governments are reluctant to use. The Sudan government says 9,000 people have been killed.

(ST)