“Sick Joke”: Trump’s Idea to Resettle Palestinians in Puntland, Somaliland, Morocco Faces Widespread Rejection
US President Donald Trump has once again ignited controversy with suggestions to relocate Palestinian residents of Gaza to Somaliland, Puntland, and Morocco, a plan detailed by Israeli Channel 12. This proposal, reminiscent of earlier discussions about transferring Gaza’s population, has been met with fierce opposition and scepticism.
Trump’s remarks, reportedly made before a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, involve a US-backed reconstruction of Gaza rather than annexation of territories. Advisors Steve Weitzkopf and Michael Waltz reportedly briefed Israeli officials on Trump’s intentions during preliminary meetings.
Displacing Palestinians is not new a new Idea
The idea of displacing Palestinians is not new. Gaza, home to Palestinian refugees, holds significant political importance, its demographics are repeatedly deemed unacceptable by some in the Israeli state.
Soon after occupying Gaza and the West Bank in 1967, the Israeli military forcibly expelled 200,000 Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan. Shimon Peres, then the Israeli minister of transport and communications, sought to forcibly transfer more Palestinians into the Sinai four years later. Around the same time, the Israeli government considered relocating Gaza’s Population to Iraq, Canada and Brazil.
More recently, the White House floated the possibility of transferring Gaza’s population to Indonesia. Trump, shortly after his inauguration, spoke of “cleaning out” the Strip. He also proposed that Jordan and Egypt take in millions of Palestinians deported from Gaza, which met with a strong backlash.
Moroccan researcher and journalist Aymane Mourabet notes, “It’s important to clarify that Israeli media reports regarding displacement are often leaks from closed-door meetings. These reports may later be denied by either the American or Israeli administration, or they may not. Sometimes they serve to establish the idea being promoted and are considered a tool to gauge international sentiment towards this sensitive issue.”
Somaliland, Puntland, and Morocco reject plans
Somaliland and Puntland, territories within Somalia lacking international recognition as independent states, and Morocco reportedly share a strong political need for US support. Somaliland has been a self-governing region of Somalia for more than three decades. Somaliland and Puntland seek recognition, while Morocco faces the ongoing territorial dispute over Western Sahara.
Mohamed Mubarak, head of Puntland’s security coordination office, told Daily News Egypt that Puntland rejects the plan.
“We have not been informed, consulted, or presented with the said plan. So, it does not concern us,” Mubarak said.
The Puntland government issued a statement saying it respects the rights of Palestinians to live in peace and prosperity in their country. Somalia, a member of both the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has a historical commitment to supporting Palestine.
A source close to the Somaliland government told Daily News Egypt: “Home is home, that the holy land belongs to Palestinians, no displacement in Somaliland. However, the question is why the Arab World is rejecting our legitimate right to self-determination. Egypt, united with Syria then separated, and you accepted the independence of South Sudan, why the double standards, why Somaliland is different.”
Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad, founder and executive director of the AfroAsia Institute, noted the lack of an official statement from the Somali Federal government regarding the proposed relocation.
“While the U.S. has reportedly considered this relocation as part of its broader policy on Gaza, Somali authorities have not confirmed or endorsed such plans and they saw it as media narrative,” Abdisamad said.
Abdisamad added that the Somali people strongly oppose the decision, as the country cannot accommodate Palestinian immigrants economically or politically. “Such a move could create instability in Somalia and potentially destabilise the entire Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.”
He stressed that political elites in Somaliland also disagree with the proposal. President Abdirahman Irro is unlikely to accept it, believing it could lead to demographic changes disadvantaging the local population.
The Somali scholar and political expert added that there are concerns that the highly educated Palestinian immigrants could establish their own political or social dominance. “This fear stems from comparisons with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where displacement and land control issues have long fuelled tensions and today Israeli immigrants are ruling class of Palestine, similar can happen to them.”
“Overall, this proposal is highly controversial and faces strong resistance from both Somali citizens and leadership,” Abdisamad concluded.
Abdirashid Hashi, a Somali analyst, described the idea as “a sick joke, and such an inhumane, illegal, and unattainable ethnic cleansing fantasy cannot be dignified with a response. Palestinians own their land and have said that no one can expel them from their homes.”
Abdikarin Dahir, a Somali geopolitical expert, said, “a summit is scheduled to take place in Cairo, bringing together Arab nations, where Somalia will have the opportunity to present its stance. We are all witnessing this unfold.”
Regarding Somalia, Mourabet notes, “We are dealing with a divided nation facing the risk of splitting into three separate states. Trump is seeking to exploit this situation, either by pressuring the Mogadishu government, whose positions appear aligned with most Arab countries under the Arab League, or by offering Somaliland and Puntland a political bargain and promises of official recognition as independent states.”
This is reflected in the statement by Yaqoub Mohamed Abdullah, the Deputy Minister of Information in the Federal State of Puntland, to local media that “if some Palestinians wish to move voluntarily to Puntland, this is welcome.” Mourabet observes that this statement reveals a lack of decisiveness and a willingness to strike a political deal between Puntland and the U.S. administration, despite the high likelihood of this proposal failing.
The Puntland government issued a statement later renouncing Yaqoub comments, saying it “represents his personal views not the government’s.”
Concerning the Moroccan people’s view of these statements, Mourabet explains that the Moroccan people, who have consistently staged massive marches and protests against the Israeli aggression on Gaza for the past 14 months, hold a firm stance of complete rejection towards displacement. This popular position is fully aligned with the official political stance, consistent with all Arab and international positions, and views these proposals with complete and absolute rejection, as well as caution against any Israeli or American manipulation of this issue.
Regarding the possibility of pressure from the White House, Mourabet asserts that Morocco does not allow any country, including the United States, to use the Sahara issue as leverage to accept dubious deals. The Sahara issue is of utmost importance to Morocco, superseding all political considerations. He notes that attempts were made in 2018 and 2019, when the outlines of the “Deal of the Century” became public.
The Moroccan diplomatic response then was shocking to the Israeli right-wing movements. Mourabet suggests that a decline in political and diplomatic momentum between Rabat and Washington may be observed during this period, which is a natural consequence when there is a sharp disagreement on major issues like the Palestinian question and the Western Sahara.
“Currently, the Kingdom of Morocco is coordinating with Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia to unify and solidify positions against the extremist right-wing campaign supported by the Trump administration,” he concluded.
A source within the Israeli prime minister’s delegation told Channel 12, “Trump’s remarks introduce a psychological element to the negotiations that wasn’t there before. It’s a ‘hold me back’ situation with uncertain prospects, but it will at least accelerate negotiations to extend the first phase of the deal, release more captives, and continue the ceasefire.”
The source also expressed concern about Hamas’ potential reaction: “No one can know if this will lead Hamas to a ‘let my soul die with the Philistines’ mentality, and a refusal to move forward with the deal, essentially requiring them to agree to their own downfall and removal from the equation.”
While some Israeli officials have expressed optimism, confusion surrounds the potential impact on negotiations for the return of captives. The plan, facing near-universal condemnation, remains a highly contentious proposal.
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