Reports indicate Washington may offer Libya access to billions in frozen funds in exchange for accepting Gazan residents.
NBC News, citing sources, reports that the Trump administration is considering a plan to relocate up to one million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya. The White House has refuted this claim.
Since taking office in January, Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in controlling Gaza and transforming it into a Mediterranean resort. However, this idea has met resistance from regional nations, who cite violations of international law, threats to stability, and infringements on Palestinian rights to their land.
The plan to move approximately half of Gaza’s population to Libya is reportedly under “serious” consideration within the White House, according to the NBC article.
Sources suggest that the Trump administration might unfreeze around $30 billion in Libyan assets, which have been blocked for a decade, as an incentive for Libya to accept the Palestinians.
The NBC report states that Washington has discussed the proposal with Libyan leaders, though the specific government entity was not identified.
Libya has been unstable since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that removed Muammar Gaddafi. The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) and the UN-recognized Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) in Tobruk are currently competing for power.
The assassination of Abdulghani al-Kikli, head of the SSA, this past Monday led to clashes in Tripoli. The US State Department advises against travel to Libya due to “crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict.”
Sources indicate that Israel is being kept informed about the discussions between the US and Libya.
NBC reports that no final agreement on the relocation of Palestinians has been reached and that details regarding the plan’s implementation remain “murky.”
A Trump administration spokesman has labeled the NBC report as “untrue,” asserting that the “situation on the ground [in Libya] is untenable for such a plan. Such a plan was not discussed and makes no sense.”
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