Trump Asked One Of The Poorest Countries In The World To Take In Palestinians And Was Immediately Rebuffed

Sudan has refused a request from the United States and Israel to discuss resettling displaced Palestinians, adding to the growing controversy surrounding former US President Donald Trump's plans for Gaza.

A recent report revealed that, under the Trump administration, US and Israeli officials approached several East African nations—including Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland—about the possibility of relocating Palestinians from Gaza. However, officials from Somalia and Somaliland told the Associated Press they were unaware of any such discussions.

The report aligns with Trump's broader agenda to transform Gaza into a luxury Mediterranean resort, a vision he shared last month using AI-generated images. Reports suggest Trump aims to permanently relocate Gaza's two million residents, a strategy backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but firmly rejected by Palestinians.

Initial reports suggested that Egypt and Jordan were considered possible destinations for displaced Palestinians, but both countries have clarified that they will not support such a proposal. However, in the latest development, Sudan emerged as one of the countries approached as a potential country where resettling could take place.

Sudan's Rejection and Humanitarian Crisis

Sudan is a country which has been struggling with its own internal conflicts and a severe humanitarian crisis for a very long time. And in respect to Trump's plan for rebuilding Gaza, Sudan was seen as an unlikely candidate for hosting Palestinian refugees.

In a country already dealing with war, poverty, and displacement, the idea of resettling millions of Palestinians was not only impractical but also unacceptable.

According to an Associated Press report, two senior officials from Sudan told them that the Sudanese government rejected the idea of resettling displaced Palestinians into their country. The officials said, 'This suggestion was immediately rebuffed. No one opened this matter again.'

While speaking during a summit in Cairo, the head of the Sudan army and de facto president, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said that he categorically rejects any plan that aims to transfer 'the brotherly Palestinians from their land under whatever justification or name,' The Guardian reported.

Sudan's rejection adds to a growing list of countries that have distanced themselves from Trump's Gaza plan, underscoring the immense challenges and opposition it faces.

Palestinians Reject Trump's Gaza Resettlement Plan

The proposal of moving displaced Palestinians to the war-ravaged areas is vehemently rejected by the Palestinians themselves. As per the United Nations, at least 90%of the population across Gaza was displaced during the war period. 'After the US made Israel destroy our houses in Gaza, he is telling us that Gaza is destroyed and we have to leave? If there is only one drop of blood left in our children, we won't go out of Gaza. We won't give up on it!' said Jamalat Wadi, a refugee at Deir al-Balah camp in Gaza.

Despite the widespread opposition, Trump has stood by his vision for Gaza, with the White House asserting that the president 'stands by his vision.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also supported the plan, calling it a 'bold vision.'

During a conversation with the media in February, Trump expressed his wishes to bring a change in Gaza. He said, 'I'm committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it; other people may do it through our auspices. But we're committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn't move back.' However, with no country yet agreeing to the proposal, the future of Trump's plan remains uncertain.

Originally published on IBTimes UK