Discussion reported on Israel's potential plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to South Sudan, according to unnamed sources
South Sudan has closed its schools for two weeks due to extreme heat, adding to the challenges the country faces. The nation, plagued by corruption and reliant on international aid to feed its 11 million people, is also reportedly involved in discussions with Israel regarding the possibility of resettling Palestinians from Gaza.
According to multiple sources, these discussions involve exploring potential camps and financial support for housing Palestinians displaced by the conflict in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has framed this plan as “voluntary migration,” reflecting a vision previously supported by US President Donald Trump.
However, South Sudan's foreign ministry has not confirmed these talks publicly and has called reports of such discussions “baseless.” The progress and seriousness of the discussions remain unclear, as Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment and the US State Department also refrained from commenting on private diplomatic conversations.
The international community, including Palestinians, rights groups, and neighbouring countries such as Egypt, strongly oppose the resettlement plan. They view it as a potential forcible expulsion that would violate international law and undermine Palestinian refugees’ right of return. Human rights groups warn that relocating Palestinian populations to a distant, war-affected region like South Sudan could amount to a violation of international norms protecting displaced peoples.
Many Palestinians want to temporarily leave Gaza to escape the war and a hunger crisis bordering on famine, but not to South Sudan due to its instability. Six people familiar with the matter have confirmed talks have taken place. Joe Szlavik, a US lobbying firm founder, has been briefed by South Sudanese officials about an Israeli delegation planning to visit the country to look into setting up camps for Palestinians.
Edmund Yakani, who heads a South Sudanese civil society group, has also spoken to South Sudanese officials about the talks. Israel would likely pay for makeshift camps, according to Szlavik. However, concerns have been raised about Palestinians being used as negotiating chips to improve relations.
Israel has floated similar resettlement proposals with other African nations, including Sudan and Somalia. Egypt is deeply opposed to plans to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza, fearing an influx of refugees into its own territory. South Sudanese would need to know who is coming and how long Palestinians plan to stay, to avoid hostilities due to historical issues with Muslims and Arabs.
South Sudan has struggled to recover from a civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people and plunged pockets of the country into famine. A peace deal reached seven years ago in South Sudan has been fragile and incomplete, and the threat of war returned when the main opposition leader Riek Machar was placed under house arrest.
In light of these complexities, the future of these discussions remains uncertain. While the talks are ongoing, they face significant political and legal opposition internationally, and South Sudan denies official participation.
- The ongoing discussions between South Sudan and Israel, regarding the potential resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, are both politically and legally contested by the international community, due to concerns about forced expulsion and violations of international law.
- The possibility of Palestinians being resettled in South Sudan, as part of Israel's resettlement proposals, could amount to a violation of international norms protecting displaced peoples, according to human rights groups, due to the region's instability and recent history of war and conflicts.
