South Sudan has agreed to accept residents who choose to leave the Gaza Strip as part of a broader four-party initiative, the British newspaper The Telegraph reported Thursday, but strong internal opposition is complicating the plan.
A source in South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Telegraph that the government approved the request, which involves the United States and the United Arab Emirates alongside Israel. According to the reports, the UAE would provide economic aid as a “lifeline” for one of the world’s poorest countries, while the U.S. is expected to lift sanctions and Israel would invest in health and education. “South Sudan has enough space to host people of different nationalities. This is also good for the South Sudanese people—to open a window to foreign business and bring growth to the economy,” the official said.
The source noted that while ministers formally approved the agreement, opposition “elsewhere” has prevented the government from publicly acknowledging it. “A deal like this will not be easy for South Sudanese to understand. We have a complex political situation,” the source said.
A South Sudanese lawmaker told reporters that the proposal was discussed in parliament but rejected by the majority. “I oppose it because South Sudan is a young country. We cannot even feed ourselves. How can we take in more people to live with us? In the next session we will reject it again in parliament. It is unacceptable,” the lawmaker said.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official told CNN that other countries involved in talks to host Gazans include Somaliland, Ethiopia, Libya and Indonesia. According to the official, the countries are seeking “substantial economic and international compensation” for participating in the plan.
AP previously reported that an Israeli delegation plans to visit South Sudan to explore the possibility of establishing camps for Palestinians. South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded, saying, “These claims are unfounded and do not reflect our position or policy.”