13/08/2025
๐๐ฌ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ, ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ณ๐ โ ๐๐
Israel is in talks with South Sudan over a proposal to relocate Palestinians from the war-torn Gaza Strip to the East African nation, the Associated Press (AP) has reported.
According to AP, six individuals familiar with the matter confirmed that discussions are underway, though it remains unclear how advanced the negotiations are. If enacted, the plan would transfer people from an enclave ravaged by war and threatened by famine to a country still emerging from its own protracted conflict โ a prospect already drawing human rights concerns.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly backed what he terms the โvoluntary migrationโ of Gazaโs population, echoing ideas previously promoted by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Similar relocation proposals have reportedly been explored with other African countries.
Human rights organisations, Palestinian officials, and numerous governments have condemned such initiatives, arguing they amount to forced displacement in violation of international law.
Joe Szlavik, head of a U.S. lobbying firm that works with South Sudan, told AP he had been briefed by South Sudanese officials and that an Israeli delegation is expected to visit Juba to assess potential sites for temporary camps. Szlavik said Israel would likely finance the construction of these facilities, although no visit date has been set.
Egypt โ which shares a border with Gaza โ opposes any plan that moves Palestinians out of the territory. AP reports that Egyptian officials have been urging South Sudan not to accept the relocation proposal.
For South Sudan, analysts suggest the deal could deepen ties with Israel and potentially improve relations with the United States. AP notes that Israel has historical links to South Sudan, with claims that its Mossad intelligence agency supported the countryโs liberation struggle.
However, domestic apprehension is growing. Civil society activist Edmund Yakani told AP that communities must be informed about who would be relocated and for how long, cautioning that โhistorical issues with Muslims and Arabsโ could spark tensions.
โSouth Sudan should not become a dumping ground for people,โ Yakani said. โAnd it should not accept to take people as negotiating chips to improve relations.โ
On July 28, South Sudanโs Foreign Minister Monday Semaya visited Israel in what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described as an effort to โstrengthen bilateral ties.โ While no details were released at the time, analysts believe discussions on the potential relocation of Palestinians from Gaza may have taken place during that visit.
