Israel proposes relocating Gaza Palestinians to South Sudan and other countries, as per the report
Israel is currently in negotiations with South Sudan's government regarding a contentious proposal to potentially resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. This plan, initiated by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, is presented as a voluntary migration option for Gazans to leave conflict zones.
However, the discussions have not yet resulted in a confirmed agreement, and the plan faces significant opposition due to South Sudan's own ongoing internal conflicts, displacement of millions, and food insecurity.
The Associated Press reported news of these discussions in March, citing six people with knowledge of the matter. The discussions between Israeli and South Sudanese officials were said to cover foreign policy, multilateral organisations, the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, and the war.
South Sudan's foreign ministry has previously dismissed reports of such discussions as baseless. The US State Department does not comment on private diplomatic conversations regarding the plan.
The prospect of resettling Palestinians in South Sudan was also discussed in meetings between Israeli officials and South Sudanese Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba. However, the details of these discussions remain unclear.
Malaysia, the United Nations, and Human Rights Watch have warned that the idea could constitute ethnic cleansing. Legal organizations, humanitarian groups, and some governments have questioned whether the resettlement would be truly voluntary.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel denied that the discussions focused on relocation. She stated that the talks were about finding solutions to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the Middle East region as a whole.
It is reported that Israeli officials have approached counterparts in multiple countries and territories, including Libya, Somaliland, Syria, and Egypt, about accepting Palestinians who agree to leave Gaza. Egypt has strongly resisted the idea, despite it being logistically attractive due to its border with the enclave.
Arab and world leaders have rejected the idea of moving Gaza's population to any country. President Trump has advocated for creative solutions to improve the lives of Palestinians, including allowing them to resettle in a new location while Gaza rebuilds.
Forcible displacement is a crime under the Geneva Conventions, to which Israel is a party, and is permissible only in narrow circumstances such as temporary evacuation for civilian safety or military "necessity." Hamas must agree to disarm and end the conflict before any resettlement can occur, according to the White House.
As of Saturday, no agreement has been reached in these talks. The discussions are ongoing, but no concrete updates indicate that the talks have progressed significantly or that other countries are involved in resettlement discussions at this time.
[1] The Associated Press, "Israeli officials discuss resettling Palestinians in South Sudan, Libya", March 2023. [2] Reuters, "South Sudan denies reports of talks with Israel on resettling Palestinians", March 2023.
- The Israeli-South Sudanese discussions, according to reports, did not only cover foreign policy and multilateral organizations but also addressed the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, the war, and the potential resettlement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
- The plan to resettle Palestinians in conflict-ridden South Sudan, proposed by Israel, faces significant opposition due to the country's own internal conflicts, displacement of millions, and food insecurity.
- The potential resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza has been discussed not only with South Sudanese officials but also with counterparts in Libya, Somaliland, Syria, and Egypt, highlighting a global interest in finding solutions for the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East region.
