Sudan, Somalia, Somaliland caught in alleged US-Israel talks to relocate Palestinians
US and Israeli officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the issue, confirmed contacts with Sudan, Somalia and Somaliland.
The United States and Israel have reportedly engaged in discussions with three East African governments about relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway Somaliland region.
According to officials cited by The Associated Press, Sudanese authorities rejected the proposal, while Somali and Somaliland officials claimed they were unaware of any such talks.
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US and Israeli officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the issue, confirmed contacts with Sudan, Somalia and Somaliland. However, the extent of the discussions and any progress made remain unclear.
The outreach reportedly began shortly after US President Donald Trump suggested taking over Gaza, a proposal widely condemned by Palestinians and other Middle Eastern nations, who called it an act of ethnic cleansing.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a long-time supporter of what he terms "voluntary" Palestinian emigration, recently stated that Israel is actively seeking countries willing to take in Palestinians.
He also revealed plans to establish a "very large emigration department" under Israel’s Ministry of Defence.
Red line
Tamer Qarmout, an associate professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that a forced displacement of Palestinians is a "red line that should not be crossed".
He urged governments worldwide to reject what he described as an "outrageous" proposal, particularly the idea of sending Palestinians to African nations still dealing 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 said.
Reports suggest the US and Israel may have offered financial, diplomatic, and security incentives to East African nations in exchange for accepting displaced Palestinians.
A US official told the AP that Washington has been engaged in "quiet conversations" with Somaliland, discussing how the region could assist the US in return for international recognition.
Somaliland’s newly elected president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, has made recognition a key priority.
However, Somaliland’s Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adan, denied any such proposal.
"I haven’t received such a proposal, and there are no talks with anyone regarding Palestinians," he told Reuters.
Legal and security analysts have raised questions about Somalia’s potential involvement, given the country’s long-standing support for Palestinian self-rule.
"The realignments keep changing, and so maybe there is a hidden agenda in why Somalia," Sambu Chepkorir, a conflict researcher based in Nairobi, told AP.
Two Sudanese officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the US had approached Sudan’s military-led government about accepting Palestinians.
One official said the discussions began even before Trump took office, with offers of military assistance against the RSF paramilitary group and post-war reconstruction aid. Both officials emphasized that Sudan firmly rejected the proposal.
"This suggestion was immediately rebuffed. No one opened this matter again,” one official said.
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