South Sudan’s government on Thursday once again firmly rejected claims that it would accept Palestinian Arabs from Gaza or had signed any agreement with the United States to receive third-country deportees, AFP reported.
The statement comes amid speculation following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks that Gazans could voluntarily emigrate, with several countries reportedly being considered as potential destinations.
Among those named was South Sudan, which hosted Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel in August. The visit was hailed as “the highest-level engagement from an Israeli official to South Sudan thus far.”
However, South Sudanese officials were unequivocal in their denial. “There has never been any question that has been discussed... on the issue of Palestinians being resettled in South Sudan,” said Philip Jada Natana, Director General for Bilateral Relations.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen also addressed rumors of a US-South Sudan deportation deal. “There is no discussions on that and there is no deal that has been signed,” she stated, clarifying that the July arrival of eight deportees from the US was a one-time bilateral arrangement.
The discussions on South Sudan accepting Gazans were first reported by the Associated Press several weeks ago, citing six individuals with knowledge of the talks.
South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry later dismissed the AP report of the plan as "baseless".
Despite those denials, however, The Telegraph reported that South Sudan has agreed to receive Gaza Arab civilians under a resettlement plan quietly brokered with Israel, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates.
Palestinian Authority official Wasel Abu Youssef rejected any resettlement plans, saying, "We reject any plan or idea to displace any of our people to South Sudan or to any other place."
This statement mirrored one from Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s office.