Reports Suggest Morocco and Two Contested Somali Regions as Potential Havens for Gazan Refugees
The unpredictable corridors of power opened their doors on February 4, 2025, as US President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into the Oval Office. An occasion captured in time by Evan Vucci’s lens for the Associated Press, the meeting hinted at a controversial geopolitical chess move: relocating Gazans from their besieged enclave. But relocate to where? The eyes of Israeli and US officials are turning toward Morocco and two autonomous Somali regions—Northeastern State and North Western State of Somalia.
What might compel such a radical plan? Channel 12 news brought this possibility to light, with its reports suggesting that the White House is considering these three prospective destinations. Concurrently, The Telegraph echoed these whispers through conversations with Israel Bachar, the Israeli consul general to the US’s Pacific Southwest region, who noted that Israel, too, is evaluating these locations. “We’re considering one in Morocco, two in Somalia. Adjacent to Somalia, there’s another area called Northeastern State,” Bachar articulated.
The tale thickens with an anonymous Israeli official urging caution, as they described discussions surrounding the relocation of Gaza’s Palestinian populace as “extremely premature.” The Telegraph article looped in Northeastern State’s deputy information minister, Yacob Mohamed Abdalla, framing the region’s openness to welcoming Palestinian refugees—so long as it remains a voluntary decision. Abdalla remarked, “There is no reason to deport someone from his country to another country without that person choosing to move.”
Abdulahi Mohamed Jaha, a former spokesman for Northeastern State, added an optimistic tint to the discourse by imagining that the influx of Gazans could aid in “modernizing,” bolstering “security and economic development,” and elevating Northeastern State’s stature on the world stage. “It’s best to take advantage of the unplanned opportunities that sometimes arise,” Jaha mused.
Yet, Trump’s vision isn’t without its vociferous critics. Deep-seated opposition springs from Arab nations and the broader international community, viewing the forced displacement as both unfeasible and inhumane. Meanwhile, Morocco, which restored diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, stands silent. Rabat’s reluctance to engage suggests a potential unwillingness to entertain the resettlement scheme.
Delve into the layered dynamics of North Western State of Somalia and Northeastern State within the global sphere. Both entities, officially part of Somalia, exercise varying degrees of autonomy. North Western State of Somalia, having functioned with de facto independence since its 1991 declaration amidst Somalia’s protracted civil strife, often appears more stable than Somalia itself. Still seeking international legitimacy, North Western State of Somalia reached a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia in 2024, promising future recognition in exchange for leasing its strategic Red Sea port of Berbera to Ethiopia.
Northeastern State’s position deviates slightly; it has not declared independence yet, in early 2024, announced a schism from Mogadishu’s authority. It declared itself to be “an independent state from Somalia” until constitutional governance is restored.
What could potentially incentivize these regions to offer refuge to Gazans? Speculation by Channel 12 suggests that North Western State of Somalia and Northeastern State could leverage this opportunity to press for official recognition, mirroring the diplomatic maneuvering that secured Moroccan sovereignty over the contentious Western Sahara under the Abraham Accords. Amit Segal, a political analyst with ties to the Israeli government, quipped on X that North Western State of Somalia and Northeastern State covet international validation, just as Morocco aims to maintain its claim over Western Sahara. “And all three harbor overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim majorities,” Segal noted.
The Telegraph’s inclusion of insights from Africa specialist Will Brown ventures into weightier humanitarian ramifications. He punctures the premise with the provocative notion that relocating Gazans to Somalia is “insane.” Brown warned, “Somalia is a failed state plagued by jihadist violence. The idea of dumping deeply traumatized people there is hellish.” His words linger like a cautionary tale, underlining the abyss that separates diplomacy from the daunting reality of human suffering.
As nuanced tensions simmer amid the complexities of international relations, one must ask—where is the humane solution in this global game of political chess? Perhaps recognizing the variables and respecting the dignity of individuals will lead to a resolution that prioritizes people over politics.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring
