South Sudan Reportedly Approves Israeli Plan to Resettle Gazans
South Sudan’s cabinet has allegedly approved an Israeli request to receive Palestinians from Gaza, despite official denials, The Telegraph has reported. According to a foreign ministry official in Juba, the deal — brokered with Israel, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates — would see the UAE provide funding, Washington lift sanctions on South Sudan, and Israel invest in health and education. The official claimed South Sudan has “enough land” and could benefit economically from the arrangement, but acknowledged strong domestic opposition. On Wednesday, the government dismissed claims of any such agreement as “baseless,” yet multiple sources told Associated Press that talks are ongoing. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel’s visit to Juba this week, following earlier diplomatic exchanges, has fueled speculation. The reported plan aligns with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s renewed push for the “voluntary” relocation of Gazans — an idea first floated by Donald Trump and widely criticised as a form of ethnic cleansing. Critics argue that given Gaza’s devastation, relocation could hardly be considered truly voluntary, and warn displaced Palestinians may never be allowed to return. South Sudanese lawmakers have voiced strong resistance, citing the country’s economic struggles and fragile political situation. “We are not able to feed ourselves — how can we take more people?” one MP said. Israel has reportedly approached other nations, including Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Libya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Somaliland, but without success. Egypt has lobbied Juba not to participate in the plan. Observers say large-scale migration from Gaza after the war may be inevitable, regardless of formal policy, due to the enclave’s catastrophic destruction.
