Netanyahu in historic talks with Sudan's leader

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu has held a historic meeting with Sudan's sovereign council head Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

This is the first sign of the thawing of relations between the two nations following the overthrow of Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir last year.

He was a fierce opponent of Israel, and his government was accused of helping arm militant Palestinian group Hamas.

Sudan is also on the US list of "state sponsors of terrorism" because it once gave refuge to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Mr Nethanyahu has been on a one-day visit to Uganda, where he was hosted by President Yoweri Museveni. Gen Burhan flew to Uganda to meet the Israeli leader.

In a tweet in Hebrew, Mr Netanyahu said he and Gen Burhan had "agreed to start a cooperation that will normalise relations between the two countries. History!".

Meanwhile, Mr Museveni said he would "study" a request by Mr Netanyahu to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

Following talks between the two leaders in Uganda's capital, Kampala, Mr Netanyahu told Mr Museveni: "You open an embassy in Jerusalem and I will open an embassy in Kampala. We hope to do this in the near future."

Mr Museveni replied: "If a friend says I want your embassy here rather than there I don't see why there would be ..." before trailing off and adding: "We are really working, we're studying that," Reuters news agency reports.

Only the US and Guatemala have opened embassies in the disputed city of Jerusalem, despite strong condemnation from Palestinians.

The decision put the US and Guatemala at odds with the rest of the international community's view on Jerusalem's status.

The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and according to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.

But the latest peace plan from US President Donald Trump promised to keep Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital.

The Palestinian leadership has rejected this.

Mr Museveni has been under pressure from a lobby group, the Uganda Christian Coalition for Israel, to resume full diplomatic ties between the two nations, including the opening of embassies in Kampala and Jerusalem.

"Many Ugandans go to Israel to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. Having full diplomatic relations would make it easier,” said Rev Canon Rebecca Nyegenyehe, Uganda's state-owned New Vision newspaper reported.

Uganda enjoyed full diplomatic relations with Israel until they were cut by Idi Amin's regime in 1972.