Israel reportedly in talks with South Sudan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza
According to Joe Szlavik, Juba wants Washington to lift its travel ban on South Sudan and remove sanctions against some of its political elites, a sign that the US could be involved in any final arrangement.
Israel is reportedly in talks with South Sudan over a plan to move Palestinians from Gaza to the conflict-stricken East African nation, as part of a broader effort to facilitate mass departures from the besieged region.
More To Read
- South Sudan refutes reports on Palestinian resettlement talks with Israel
- Hospitals overflowing in Gaza, as malnutrition surges
- After starvation in Gaza and Sudan, refeeding syndrome a risk
- Five journalists killed after Israeli strike hits tent outside Al-Shifa Hospital
- Iran urges extraordinary OIC meeting on Gaza humanitarian catastrophe
- MSF calls for immediate closure of US and Israeli-backed aid group in Gaza
Sources privy to the matter confirmed the development to the Associated Press (AP) but did not reveal specifics, including how long the discussions have been ongoing.
One of the sources, who works for a US lobbying firm in South Sudan, stated that he had been briefed by South Sudanese officials on the discussions.
According to Joe Szlavik, Juba wants Washington to lift its travel ban on South Sudan and remove sanctions against some of its political elites, a sign that the US could be involved in any final arrangement.
The foreign ministries of Israel and South Sudan have not issued statements on the same.
South Sudan has been struggling to recover from a brutal civil war that erupted in 2013, killing hundreds of thousands and leaving parts of the country on the brink of famine.
It already shelters refugees from neighbouring conflicts, adding to concerns about its capacity to take in displaced people from Gaza.
However, any implementation of such a plan would conflict with principles that govern international law, with critics maintaining that the move would almost certainly prevent Palestinians from returning to Gaza and could clear the way for Israel to take full control of the territory, a plan supported by Israel's allies but condemned by the international community.
Although the United Nations (UN) Charter does not specifically address forced relocations, it lays down guidelines that apply to such scenarios.
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter states: "All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has in recent months spoken about promoting what he describes as "voluntary migration" from Gaza.
In an interview with Israel's i24 News on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he believed the "right thing" was to let civilians leave before striking "with full force" at those remaining, though he made no direct reference to South Sudan.
"I think that the right thing to do, even according to the laws of war as I know them, is to allow the population to leave, and then you go in with all your might against the enemy who remains there," he said on Tuesday, without referencing South Sudan.
Top Stories Today
