Israel weighs resettlement bids for displaced Palestinians

Netanyahu says talks are underway with several countries to take in Palestinians displaced by the Gaza war, amid regional backlash and ongoing humanitarian concerns.

Israel weighs resettlement bids for displaced Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks are underway with several countries about taking in Palestinians displaced by the Gaza war. A senior Israeli official told CNN that potential destinations include South Sudan, Somaliland, Ethiopia, Libya, and Indonesia, and that they seek significant financial and international compensation in return. Indonesia said it would take in about 2,000 Gaza patients for treatment but they would return home after recovery, while South Sudan and Somaliland have publicly denied talks exist.
Netanyahu has pressed for resettlement as a possible path for the displaced, though it remains unclear how far discussions have advanced. He also said in an interview that the plan would not push Palestinians out but would allow them to leave, urging others to open their doors. The remarks come as regional leaders react harshly to the idea and as international alarm grows over Israel’s plans in Gaza City, where aid workers warn that relief access is shrinking amid ongoing conflict.
Netanyahu also voiced support for a broader concept sometimes called Greater Israel, a position that drew sharp condemnations from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar and added to regional tensions as diplomacy struggles to keep pace with war dynamics.

The talks, if real, could mark a shift from internal displacement management to a foreign policy tool that links aid and asylum to political concessions. The idea of relocating populations abroad raises legal and humanitarian questions and risks eroding trust with Palestinians and regional neighbors. The strong reaction to the Greater Israel framing shows how sensitive symbolic language is in a volatile landscape. Even as some countries express openness in principle, the lack of detail and the track record of ambiguity around any concrete resettlement plan suggest that this may be more about signaling than substance, at least for now. The coming weeks will test whether diplomacy can translate ambiguous promises into practical protections for civilians and stable regional dynamics.

Highlights

Diplomacy faces a crowded field of humanitarian and legal hurdles as the region watches closely.