A report by The Associated Press (AP) has revealed that US and Israeli officials engaged in discussions about forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza to Sudan, Somalia, and the breakaway region of Somaliland.
According to the report, Sudanese officials rejected the overtures, while Somali and Somaliland officials claimed to be unaware of any such contacts. However, anonymous US and Israeli officials confirmed the discussions, though the progress and level of engagement remain unclear.
The development follows former US President Donald Trump’s controversial suggestion of displacing Palestinians and taking control of Gaza—a proposal widely condemned as ethnic cleansing by Palestinians and Middle Eastern nations.
Tamer Qarmout, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, denounced the idea as a “red line that should not be crossed.” He urged governments worldwide to reject Israel’s efforts to relocate Palestinians to African nations, particularly those still grappling with colonial legacies and internal conflicts.
Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a known advocate for what he calls “voluntary” Palestinian emigration, recently stated that Israel is actively seeking countries willing to accept Palestinians and is preparing a “very large emigration department“ within its Ministry of Defense.
There has been no official response from the US, Israel, Sudan, Somalia, or Somaliland regarding the report.
