At a time when Arab regimes raise slogans of solidarity with Palestinians and denounce forced displacement, leaked documents and secret projects expose a troubling Emirati role in advancing schemes to expel Palestinians and resettle them outside their homeland.
The latest chapter in this conspiracy revolves around Somaliland—an unrecognised breakaway region of Somalia—where Abu Dhabi has acted as a central broker in a project to resettle displaced Palestinians from Gaza in exchange for granting this entity international recognition and legitimacy.
What appears on the surface as “humanitarian initiatives” in fact conceals a strategic plan of demographic engineering designed to serve the interests of Washington and Tel Aviv, while the UAE reaps new spheres of influence and strategic footholds in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.
Leaks Expose the Plan
According to leaked documents obtained by the platform Dark Box, Somaliland appeared among several models and scenarios for externally relocating Gaza’s population—alongside Sudan, Egypt, Jordan, and even the UAE itself.
These leaks align with Western media reports that U.S. and Israeli officials secretly explored options to transfer Palestinians to alternative territories, including Somalia and Somaliland—moves described by rights groups as blatant violations of international humanitarian law.
The documents confirm that this was not a “theoretical idea,” but a subject of active backroom negotiations, with Gulf mediators—chief among them the UAE—playing the role of “architect” in bridging positions between Washington and Tel Aviv on one side, and Somaliland on the other.
The Deal: Recognition in Exchange for Refugees
The danger lies in the formula being proposed: Somaliland, which has sought international recognition for decades, could secure that recognition in exchange for hosting thousands of Palestinians displaced from Gaza.
This idea is not new. The UAE has previously invested in the strategic port of Berbera and expanded its military presence in the region as part of its bid to dominate vital maritime routes near Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea. The so-called “refugee deal” would only add another layer to entrench Emirati influence while allowing it to present itself as a regional mediator “solving crises.”
Meanwhile, the UAE publicly repeats its rejection of forced displacement and projects an image of commitment to the Palestinian cause. Yet these documents reveal its covert involvement in schemes that commodify Palestinian lives and reduce them to bargaining chips.
This duplicity is not new. Since signing normalisation agreements with Israel, Abu Dhabi has intensified efforts to expand its influence in sensitive files—from military and intelligence cooperation to manipulating “economic peace” options at the expense of Palestinian national rights.
Somaliland’s Calculations
Despite official denials from Somaliland authorities regarding any negotiations on resettling Palestinians, its political behaviour suggests openness to such discussions. Somaliland knows that any Emirati- and U.S.-backed deal could deliver the long-sought prize of international recognition for its secession from Somalia.
This ambition leaves it vulnerable to blackmail by Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, tying recognition to its willingness to serve as a “human dumping ground” for displaced Palestinians. In return, the UAE would strengthen its grip over a maritime chokepoint linking the Gulf to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
Geopolitical Dimension: The Red Sea as Gateway to Power
Behind this potential deal lies a wider strategic project. Abu Dhabi seeks to position itself as a key player along global trade and shipping lines.
From investments in Berbera Port to its military presence in Eritrea’s Assab, from bases in Yemen to growing influence in the Horn of Africa, the UAE is building a web of control that makes it the regional proxy for global powers.
Exploiting the Palestinian refugee crisis in this context is nothing but an extension of this strategy: trading “humanitarian tragedy” for geopolitical gains, with no regard for the right of return or international law.
The international community faces a moral and legal dilemma: any attempt to forcibly transfer Palestinians to Somaliland or elsewhere constitutes a crime under the Geneva Conventions and risks igniting new regional conflicts.
Resettling Palestinians outside their homeland is not a humanitarian solution—it is a systematic attempt to strip the cause of its political essence. This explains the anger within Palestinian and Arab circles at any suggestion of such schemes.
From Normalisation to Collusion
The irony is stark: the UAE, which brands itself as a “voice of moderation,” is in practice an active agent in reshaping the demographic and political map of the region in Israel’s favour.
From economic, technological, and military normalisation to shady deals like the “Somaliland scheme,” Abu Dhabi proves it is not merely a mediator, but a party complicit in efforts to liquidate the Palestinian cause through indirect means.
These leaks are not just another political manoeuvre; they are further evidence that the UAE is exploiting the Palestinian tragedy to build its own regional project. By marketing Somaliland as an alternative refuge for Palestinians, Abu Dhabi tramples on the historical and legal rights of the Palestinian people while opening the door to fresh chaos in the region.
The picture is clear: the Palestinian cause is no longer only hostage to Israeli occupation, but also to Arab projects of influence disguised as “humanitarian aid.” Exposing these conspiracies is therefore essential, to prevent Palestinians from being reduced to bargaining chips in Abu Dhabi’s power games.
