Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about potentially relocating Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, part of a plan announced months ago by the Israeli government but rejected by Arab and Western nations, including Egypt and Jordan.
Back in January, the Trump administration proposed that Egypt and Jordan host Palestinians displaced from Gaza. The idea was swiftly rejected by the Arab states and condemned by human rights groups as a form of ethnic cleansing.
The talks are part of Israel’s broader strategy to promote what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described as “voluntary migration” from Gaza. While six unnamed sources confirmed the discussions to AP, they said it was unclear how far the talks had progressed.
“If implemented, the plans would amount to transferring people from one war-ravaged land at risk of famine to another, and raise human rights concerns,” AP noted.
Speaking to Israel’s i24 channel on Tuesday, Netanyahu said, “I think that the right thing to do, even according to the laws of war as I know them, is to allow the population to leave, and then you go in with all your might against the enemy who remains there.” He did not make mention of South Sudan.
Palestinians, human rights groups and much of the international community have repeatedly rejected such proposals as forced displacement in violation of international law.
AP further noted that for South Sudan, the arrangement could serve to strengthen its relationship with Israel, described as the “almost unchallenged military power” in the Middle East, and might also provide a channel for engagement with Trump.
The country, rich in oil but marred by corruption, has struggled to recover from a post-independence civil war that killed about 400,000 people and triggered famine in parts of the country. It relies on foreign aid to feed its 11 million people, a challenge worsened after the Trump administration cut broad foreign aid programs.
Joe Szlavik, founder of a US lobbying firm working with South Sudan, told AP he was briefed by South Sudanese officials on the talks. He said an Israeli delegation planned to visit the country to discuss setting up camps for Palestinians, though no date had been set.
The discussions were corroborated by multiple sources in South Sudan. Edmund Yakani, head of a South Sudanese civil society group, confirmed he had spoken to officials on the matter, while four other South Sudanese officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly, also confirmed the talks.
Meanwhile, two Egyptian officials, also speaking anonymously to AP, said they had been aware for months of Israel’s attempts to find a host country for Palestinians, including its contacts with South Sudan. They added that Cairo has been pressuring South Sudan not to accept the plan.
In March, Israel’s security cabinet approved a military proposal to establish an administration to facilitate the voluntary emigration of Palestinians in Gaza expressing interest in moving to third countries, in line with Trump’s vision. Defence Minister Israel Katz said at the time, “We will allow any Gaza resident who wants to move to a third state to do so.”
Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, strongly opposes any relocation plan. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi recently reiterated his condemnation of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and the failure of countries to provide relief, saying history would judge many nations for their stance on the war. He vowed that Egypt would never be a gateway for the displacement of Palestinians.
The US embassy in Tripoli has previously denied an NBC News report quoting unnamed officials who claimed the Trump administration had sought to permanently relocate about one million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya. Prior to the denial, Libyan lawmakers and political figures had already rejected the plan.
The search for host countries has extended further into the African continent. In March, Israeli media reported that Somaliland would be open to hosting people from Gaza if recognized as a state, and that US officials had contacted governments in East Africa to explore other resettlement options.
