US and Israel have contacted three East African countries, including Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland.
After US President Donald Trump proposed his postwar plans in Gaza, which include resettling uprooted Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, both the US and Israel have reached out to three East African governments to discuss using their territories as potential destinations for resettlement. The countries contacted include Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland.
Under Trump’s plan, Gaza’s more than 2 million people would be permanently sent elsewhere, with the US taking ownership of the territory as it will “oversee a lengthy cleanup process and develop it as a real estate project.”
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, US and Israeli officials confirmed their respective countries’ outreach to Somalia and Somaliland, while the Americans confirmed Sudan as well.
Separate outreach from the US and Israel to the three potential destinations began last month, days after Trump floated the Gaza plan alongside Netanyahu, according to the US officials, who said that Israel was taking the lead in the discussions.
The move reflects the determination by the US and Israel to press ahead with a plan that has been widely condemned and raised serious legal and moral issues.
While officials from Sudan claim that they have rejected the proposal of resettlement from the US, officials from Somalia and Somaliland told The Associated Press that they were not aware of any contacts.
Notably, the idea of mass transfer of Palestinians was once considered to be a demand of Israel’s ultra-nationalist fringe. However, after Trump came up with the idea at the White House meeting last month, Israel has hailed it as a ‘bold move.’
Palestinians have rejected the proposal, dismissing Israeli claims that the departures would be voluntary. Arab nations have also vehemently opposed the uprooting of Palestinians from Gaza.
The White House declined to comment on the outreach efforts. The offices of Netanyahu and Ron Dermer, the Israeli Cabinet minister and Netanyahu confidant who has been leading Israel’s postwar planning, also had no comment.
(With inputs from AP)
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