Israel Reportedly in Talks With South Sudan to Resettle Gazans

A survey published earlier this year revealed that 52% of Gazans would leave the Strip either temporarily or permanently.

By JNS Staff

Israel is holding talks with South Sudan about potentially resettling Palestinians from Gaza in the East African country, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

Six sources familiar with the matter confirmed the negotiations to the news outlet, though it remained unclear how far talks have advanced. Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment to AP, while South Sudan’s foreign minister did not respond to questions about the talks.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told AP that Washington doesn’t comment on private diplomatic conversations.

Joe Szlavik, the founder of a U.S. lobbying firm working with the South Sudanese government, told AP that officials had briefed him on the talks. He claimed an Israeli delegation was planning to visit the country to explore the possibility of setting up temporary housing for Palestinians there.

Edmund Yakani, who heads a South Sudanese civil society group, also said he had been in touch with government officials about the talks.

Four additional sources with knowledge of the discussions confirmed talks were taking place, including two Egyptian officials, who said that Cairo was actively lobbying South Sudan against taking in Palestinians.

Speaking with the Hebrew-language i24News broadcaster on Tuesday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that encouraging emigration from the enclave was “the right thing to do.”

“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,” said Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader did not make any reference to South Sudan in the interview.

Last week, South Sudan’s minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Monday Semaya Kumba, paid an official visit to Israel, which included meetings with officials and a tour of Samaria.

“Visiting this place [in Samaria] is very significant for us as a country and for our relationship with Israel,” Kumba said, adding: “South Sudan is a close friend of Israel.”

Jerusalem’s Security Cabinet on March 22 approved Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposal to establish a directorate within his ministry to facilitate the voluntary emigration of noncombatants from the Strip.

Katz stressed that the initiative aligns with the vision of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We are working with all means to implement the U.S. president’s vision, and we will allow any Gaza resident who wants to move to a third state to do so,” stated Katz in March.

A survey published in the British Telegraph earlier this year revealed that 52% of Gazans, or more than 1.1 million people, would leave the Strip either temporarily or permanently if given the opportunity.

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