Following are excerpts from an interview with Dr. Khalil Ibrahim, leader of the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on June 15, 2008

Interviewer: "Abd Al-Wahed Nur, the leader of the Sudanese Liberation Movement, has announced that his movement has an office in Israel. Do you support such a measure?"

Dr. Khalil Ibrahim: "This is the business of the Sudanese Liberation Movement and Abd Al-Wahed. Israel is a country just like any other country in the world.

"The Prophet Muhammad had good ties with the Israelis [sic]. When he died, he had a debt to a Jew. He would trade with Jews.

"Relations with Israel are not a crime. How many Arab countries have Israeli embassies in their capitals? The Israelis are of the People of the Book, and so are the Christians and the Muslims.

"Allah said: 'Argue not with the People of the Book unless it is done in the best way.' The Sudanese government is trying to create what is called 'a taboo.' A taboo forbids something that was not forbidden by Allah.

"Relations with any country or citizen... If Allah did not want these people, why did he create them? Israelis, Arabs, British people, Americans, and Africans - Allah created them all. When Allah created Adam, he was just one person. Now there are over seven billion descendents of Adam in the world. If Allah did not want them, he could have annihilated them. It is Allah who holds people accountable."...

...People should work to resolve their problems. We support a two-state solution - one for the Palestinians and the other for the Israelis. These two states should coexist peacefully, as good neighbors. If it is possible for them to coexist - fine. If not, each side should establish its country, and they should live in peace. What is wrong?"