U.S. and Israel Seek to Forcibly Expel Palestinians from Gaza to East African Countries: Report

Gaza (Quds News Network)- The U.S. and Israel have reportedly contacted officials from three East African countries to discuss using their territories as potential destinations for resettling Palestinians forcibly displaced from the Gaza Strip under President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza plan.

The Associated Press, citing American and Israeli officials, said the contacts with Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland reflect the determination by the U.S. and Israel to press ahead with the Trump plan.

Trump had previously proposed permanently and forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza and transforming the area into what he called the “Riviera of the Middle East.” His plan envisioned a developed, Palestinian-free zone under US control and ownership, where “the world’s people” could reside.

He also suggested that Jordan and Egypt take in displaced Palestinians, a proposal that both countries firmly rejected. Legal experts, along with Palestinians, condemned the plan, calling it “ethnic cleansing.”

“We’re moving them to a beautiful location where they have new homes, where they can live safely, where they’ll have doctors and medical and all of those things,” he said during a meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan last month. “And I think it’s going to be great.”

However, the three locations are impoverished and, in some cases, plagued by violence, which raises questions about Trump’s stated goal of resettling Gaza’s Palestinians in a “beautiful area,” according to the AP.

Officials from Sudan said they have rejected the proposal from the U.S., while officials from Somalia and Somaliland told the AP that they were not aware of any contacts.

Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a secret diplomatic initiative, U.S. and Israeli officials confirmed the contacts with Somalia and Somaliland, while the Americans confirmed Sudan as well. They said it was unclear how much progress the efforts made or at what level the discussions took place.

Separate outreach from the U.S. and Israel to the three potential destinations began last month, days after Trump floated the Gaza plan alongside Netanyahu, according to the U.S. officials, who said that Israel was taking the lead in the discussions.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said this week that Israel is working to identify countries to take in Palestinians. He also said Israel is preparing a “very large emigration department” within its Defense Ministry.

Sudan was among the four Abraham Accord nations that agreed to normalize ties with Israel in 2020. Accorring to the AP, the U.S. and Israel could offer incentives to the Khartoum government, including debt relief, weapons, technology and diplomatic support to persuade them.

Two Sudanese officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic matter, confirmed that the Trump administration has approached the military-led government about accepting Palestinians.

One of them said the contacts began even before Trump’s inauguration with offers of military assistance against the RSF, assistance with postwar reconstruction and other incentives.

Both officials said the Sudanese government rejected the idea. “This suggestion was immediately rebuffed,” said one official. ”No one opened this matter again.”

Military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan told an Arab leaders’ summit last week in Cairo that his country “categorically rejects” any plan that aims to expel “the brotherly Palestinians from their land under whatever justification or name.”

Regarding Somaliland, an American official involved in the efforts confirmed that the U.S. was “having a quiet conversation with Somaliland about a range of areas where they can be helpful to the U.S. in exchange for recognition.” Somaliland is not internationally recognized as an independent state.

An official in Somaliland, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his government has not been approached and is not in talks about taking in Palestinians.

Somalia, meanwhile, has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinians, often hosting peaceful protests on its streets in support of them. The country joined the recent Arab summit that rejected Trump’s plan.

A Somali official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the country had not been approached about taking in Palestinians from Gaza and there had been no discussions about it.