Even as the dark cloud gathers around Israel (with the repeated obscene attacks against Jews, Jewish history, Israel's rights to exist in peace) some tremulous rays of light do appear from unexpected quarters. Here is some light in the ominous darkness:

Mustafa was invited to give an interview to the Arab news network after she announced the establishment of the new association. During the interview, which was held about a week ago and is brought to you by Ynet courtesy of MEMRI – The Middle East Media Research Institute, she was asked to defend her controversial stance.

"Do you have an official mandate or a mandate from the people to establish an Israeli-Sudanese fellowship association, or is this your private initiative?" She was asked.

"I don’t need a mandate to discuss my private beliefs, and those of part of the Sudanese people. Why do I need a mandate to establish a fellowship association with part of the Israeli people which believes in fellowship?" She asked, expressing her surprise over the question.

Racist attitude
"We were able to meet good people of the Israeli people and I am here to say clearly all traditions and stereotypes I heard about Jews and Israelis were erroneous," she said.

"Today there is a Sudanese exiles in Israel who are being protected, and this while we were massacred in Cairo, assassinated in Iraq or expelled from Jordan," she added.

And what about Arabs? "Over the years that passed since we joined the Arab League and won our independence the Arabs failed to give us the feeling that we are Arabs. They always they had an attitude towards the Sudanese people based on stereotypes," she charged.

"The Arabs are involved in what is happening in Sudan in favor of the tyrant regimes … and I don't want to remind you of the disappearance of thousands of members of the opposition in Cairo and the assassinations," she said.

She also criticized the Palestinians: "The Palestinian people shouldn't forget that we, the Sudanese people, opened our doors for them in the days of Sabra and Shatila. The Palestinians should not forget that Jaafar Numeiri (a Sudanese dictator that ruled from 1969 to 1985) burst out during Black September to save Yasser Arafat. Unfortunately this is not taken into account by the Palestinian public and people, who treat the Sudanese people in the most terrible, racist and persecutory manner, only because they are a black people."

She blamed the Arab media of fanning racist attitudes towards the Sudanese, citing that black actors always play the role of waiters, chauffeurs and goalkeepers in Egyptian movies.

'I plan to visit Israel'
Mustafa told al-Arabiya's internet Web site that the setting up of the friendship union was a response to the Arabs' disregard of the crisis in the Darfur region, and to end Sudan's "unfounded enmity towards Israel."

She said that some 20 Sudanese intellectuals joined the union within the first few days of its existence and hinted that anonymous Sudanese politicians intend on pushing their government for normalization with Israel.

She said she intends on visiting Israel in the future.

She revealed plans to approach Israel with the possibility of opening union offices in the Holy Land.