Somaliland, Israel advance talks on Gaza relocation plan

[Deeq A.]

TEL-AVIV, Israel – Israel is making “progress” in negotiations with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland over controversial plans to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported Thursday, in a move widely condemned as a violation of international law.

Channel 12 television said Somaliland — which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognised — is among five countries approached by Israel to take in Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza. The others are Indonesia, Libya, Uganda, and South Sudan.

Citing an unnamed Israeli diplomatic source, Channel 12 reported that Somaliland and Indonesia have shown “greater openness” to accepting Palestinians. However, no formal agreements have been reached. The broadcaster added that Somaliland is reportedly hoping to leverage the talks to bolster its decades-long bid for international recognition.

US political support

The reported progress comes as Somaliland gains new political attention in Washington. On Thursday, US Senator Ted Cruz urged president Donald Trump to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent nation, citing its relations with Israel among other reasons.

In a letter sent Wednesday, Cruz called for recognition of Somaliland “within its 1960 borders,” arguing the territory meets the criteria for statehood and has built a functioning democracy.

“Somaliland has emerged as a critical security and diplomatic partner for the United States,” he wrote, highlighting its cooperation with Taiwan, outreach to Israel, and backing of the Abraham Accords.

Elsewhere, South Sudan — one of the countries named in the Israeli media reports — has denied any such discussions. On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling the claims “baseless” and “not reflective of official policy.”

Despite this denial, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel arrived in South Sudan that same day in what was described as the first-ever visit by an Israeli official to the country, fueling speculation that the trip was tied to the relocation plans.

The Associated Press has also reported that Israel discussed resettling Gazans in South Sudan, a claim the African nation’s government has rejected.

In an interview with Israel’s i24 News channel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced support for the mass emigration of Gazans — a policy also endorsed by US president Donald Trump earlier this year — saying Israel is in contact with “several countries” about absorbing displaced civilians from the war-torn territory.

“I think this is the most natural thing,” Netanyahu said. “All those who are concerned for the Palestinians and say they want to help the Palestinians should open their doors to them. What are you preaching to us for? We’re not pushing them out — we’re enabling them to leave… first of all, [leaving] combat zones, and also the Strip itself, if they want to.”

Pressed on why the process has not moved faster, Netanyahu responded: “You need receiving countries. We are talking to several countries — I won’t detail them here.”

International backlash  

Plans to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza — whether under the label of “voluntary” migration or otherwise — have been rejected by Palestinian leaders, Arab governments, and much of the international community as violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched in October 2023 after Hamas’s surprise attack, has so far killed more than 61,700 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also defending itself against a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

Despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pressed ahead with its military operations, insisting they are necessary to dismantle Hamas’s capabilities.

Whether Somaliland will proceed with the relocation plan remains uncertain. Any deal would be a high-stakes diplomatic gamble — potentially advancing its recognition campaign while risking political and economic backlash from Somalia, Arab states, and others opposed to the scheme.

The combination of Israel’s outreach, US political interest, and Somaliland’s recognition ambitions highlights how the Gaza conflict is shaping diplomatic calculations far beyond the Middle East.