Despite denials, Israel-South Sudan talks on relocating Gazans reportedly ongoing

Talks about resettling Gazans from the war-torn Strip to South Sudan have been ongoing between Jerusalem and the troubled African nation, despite a fervent denial issued by the latter government, three sources familiar with the matter tell Reuters.

The sources, who have knowledge of the matter and are speaking on condition of anonymity, say no agreement has been reached, but that talks between South Sudan and Israel were ongoing.

The plan, if carried further, would envisage people moving from an enclave shattered by almost two years of war with Israel to a nation in the heart of Africa riven by years of political and ethnically-driven violence.

Arab and world leaders have rejected the idea of moving Gaza’s population to any country. Palestinians say that would be like another “Nakba” (catastrophe) when hundreds of thousands fled or were forced out during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948.

The three sources say the prospect of resettling Palestinians in South Sudan was raised during meetings between Israeli officials and South Sudanese Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba when he visited the country last month.

Their account appeared to contradict South Sudan’s foreign ministry, which on Wednesday dismissed earlier reports on the plan as “baseless.”

The ministry was not immediately available to respond to the sources’ assertions on Friday.

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel, who visited the South Sudanese capital Juba this week, told Reuters that those discussions had not focused on relocation.

“This is not what the discussions were about,” she said when asked if any such plan had been discussed.

“The discussions were about foreign policy, about multilateral organizations, about the humanitarian crisis, the real humanitarian crisis happening in South Sudan, and about the war,” she said, referring to her talks with Juba officials.

Netanyahu, who met Kumba last month, has said Israel is in touch with a few countries to find a destination for Palestinians who want to leave Gaza. He has consistently declined to provide further details.