US and Israel engage East African nations on resettling displaced Palestinians

March 16, 2025 Story by: Editor

The United States and Israel have engaged in discussions with three East African governments regarding the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to Sudan, Somalia, and the breakaway region of Somaliland, according to US and Israeli officials cited by The Associated Press news agency.

The report, published on Friday, states that Sudanese officials claimed to have rejected these proposals from the US, while Somali and Somaliland officials told AP they were unaware of any such contacts.

Speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, US and Israeli officials confirmed outreach efforts with Somalia and Somaliland, while US officials also acknowledged contacts with Sudan. However, they noted that the extent of progress and the level at which discussions occurred remained unclear.

This development follows over a month after former US President Donald Trump suggested the idea of forcibly displacing Palestinians and “taking over” Gaza. The proposal was widely condemned by Palestinians and Middle Eastern nations, with many labeling it as ethnic cleansing.

According to US officials, separate discussions between the US, Israel, and the three East African nations began last month, just days after Trump introduced the Gaza plan alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They added that Israel was leading these negotiations.

Neither the US nor Israel has officially responded to the report.

However, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has long advocated for what he describes as the “voluntary” emigration of Palestinians, stated this week that Israel is actively working to identify countries willing to take them in. He also revealed that Israel is setting up a “very large emigration department” within its Ministry of Defense.

‘Red Line’

Tamer Qarmout, an associate professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that forcibly displacing Palestinians is “a red line that should not be crossed.”

He emphasized that world governments must reject this “outrageous” plan and refrain from engaging with Israel on such proposals, particularly those involving the relocation of Palestinians to African nations, many of which are still grappling with colonial legacies.

“Sudan and Somalia are still ravaged by wars due to the colonial legacy. They [the Israeli government] have to be exposed and put on a shame list,” Qarmout added.

In exchange for accepting resettled Palestinians, East African governments are reportedly being offered various incentives, including financial aid, diplomatic support, and security assistance.

A US official involved in the discussions confirmed to AP that the US was “having a quiet conversation with Somaliland about a range of areas where they can be helpful to the US in exchange for recognition.”

For Somaliland, international recognition—one of its top priorities—could be part of the deal, as the breakaway region of over 3 million people seeks greater legitimacy on the global stage.

However, Somaliland’s foreign minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adan, denied receiving any such proposal. Speaking to Reuters, he stated, “I haven’t received such a proposal, and there are no talks with anyone regarding Palestinians.”

‘Hidden Agenda’

Sambu Chepkorir, a lawyer and conflict researcher in Nairobi, told AP that Somalia’s strong support for Palestinian self-rule makes it difficult to understand why the country would agree to host Palestinians.

“The realignments keep changing, and so maybe there is a hidden agenda in why Somalia,” Chepkorir speculated.

Meanwhile, two Sudanese officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, confirmed that the Trump administration had approached Sudan’s military-led government about accepting Palestinians.

One official claimed that talks had begun even before Trump’s inauguration, with Sudan being offered military assistance against the RSF paramilitary group, postwar reconstruction aid, and other incentives in exchange for cooperation.

However, both officials stated that Sudan had firmly rejected the proposal.

“This suggestion was immediately rebuffed,” said one official. “No one opened this matter again.”

Source: Aljazeera