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Speculation has been rife that more Arab states will forge diplomatic ties with Israel following last week's announcement of an between Israel and the UAE.

General , the leader of Sudan's transitional sovereign council, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February this year and to work towards normalising ties.

The two did not sign a formal agreement but Khartoum did agree to allow Israeli flights to transit through Sudanese , however.

Sudan is looking forward to making a formal peace agreement with Israel, a spoksperson for the foreign ministry told Sky News Arabia on Tuesday.

There is no reason for continuing enmity between the two countries, Haidar Badawi Sadiq said, adding that any such agreement would "safeguard the interests of Sudan without compromising its principles".

The United Arab Emirates was "brave" to normalise ties with Israel and has paved the way for other Gulf Arab states, Sadiq added.

— °®Âþµº (@The_NewArab) " style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post In-depth: “A secretive meeting between 's Netanyahu and Sudan's Burhan has put the nature of the country's transitional government under the spotlight“ — °®Âþµº (@The_NewArab)

Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday that a peace agreement between Israel and Sudan is expected to take place by the end of the year.

Observers of the region believe Oman and are also close to normalising relations with Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi over the phone with his Omani counterpart on Monday to discuss "recent developments in the region".

Although a number of Gulf Arab states have exhibited increasing signs of warming ties in recent years, most residents of the region oppose normalisation with Israel.

Under the UAE-Israel agreement signed last Thursday, Israel said it would suspend its planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, a concession welcomed by European and some pro-Western Arab governments, but shunned by Palestinians.

However, Netanyahu has since said the annexation plans have only temporarily been put on hold.

Palestinian groups have publicly , saying it does nothing to serve the Palestinian cause.

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