(JUBA) – South Sudan’s parliament will summon the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to explain allegations of talks with Israel over the possible resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, despite the ministry’s formal denial.
Joseph Malwal Dong, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, told Eye Radio on Wednesday, 13 August 2025, that his committee intends to question Minister Monday Semaya directly.
“We will call him here, and I believe we will ask him all the necessary questions to explain these allegations, whether they are true or not,” Mr Malwal said.
He criticised the lack of communication from the ministry, saying parliament had been “kept in darkness” and had learned about the reports only from local and foreign media, including social media. “We are not aware of anything. If there is anything, we are only hearing from the media,” he added.
The committee chair noted that this lack of direct briefing on sensitive foreign policy matters was a recurring problem, with ministers often failing to update parliament on issues of national and international concern.
Mr Malwal expressed particular concern that some “responsible people from the American side and also from our embassies seem to be saying something about that,” suggesting that there may be more to the story than has been publicly stated.
He confirmed that Minister Semaya visited Israel about two weeks ago but said it was unclear whether the alleged relocation discussions were connected to that trip.
In addition to the Israel matter, Mr Malwal said the committee was also seeking explanations regarding the deportation of foreigners from other countries, indicating that this issue would also be part of the upcoming discussions with the minister.
Reports in international media, including PBS and the Associated Press, have claimed that Israel and other countries, such as Egypt, have explored relocation options for Palestinians, with Sudan among the destinations considered. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected these reports as baseless.
