Israel and Jewish leaders congratulate newborn South Sudan

On July 9, flags fluttered and military bands marched though the dust-covered streets of Juba, capital of South Sudan, the world’s newest recognized independent nation. Among the messages of congratulation, the Israeli message spoke of full cooperation with South Sudan, while hinting at the social and economic ties between the two states.

“We wish it success. This is a peace-seeking country and we would be pleased to cooperate with it in order to ensure its development and its prosperity, Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced at his weekly cabinet meeting.

The announcement follows a five decade-long civil war between the largely Arab Muslim northern Sudan, and the animist and Christian southern region, where the Sudan People’s Liberation Army has been fighting for independence.

“The road to independence has been long and bitter. More than two million died and four million were driven from their homes during the civil war,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris.

While the war raged on, Israel had a common enemy with the south Sudanese, the Khartoum-based government of General Omar al-Bashir, who sheltered and financed anti-Israel terrorist groups, and whose human rights record in Darfur resulted in a war crimes indictment by the International Court of Justice. In April, Sudan accused Israel of bombing a car outside Port Sudan. While Israel did not confirm the hit, it accused Sudan of smuggling arms to Hamas.

While South Sudan celebrates, it also faces challenges, emerging as one of the world’s least developed countries. Echoing Israel’s support for the newborn African nation, Harris announced that the AJC is partnering with IsrAID, the government-sponsored partnership with nonprofits, in supporting South Sudan. “The noble work of IsraAID is emblematic of Israel’s humanitarian ethos.”

American Jewish World Service, the Manhattan-based nonprofit that works with grassroots groups in developing countries also congratulated South Sudan, while keeping its focus on the neighboring Sudanese region of Darfur, where native African Muslim groups were massacred and expelled by Arab militias over much of the past decade.