Egypt and Jordan have for years stated they don’t want to take in more refugees. No one wants more Palestinian refugees. Just search “Black September in Jordan.” Arab countries see Palestinians as a destabilizing population that could risk their countries.
However, if a new home for a few million people is truly desired, removing them from Gaza leaves only one viable location, though it would cost billions of dollars. Land would need to be purchased from the locals, and the leaders would need to have assurances the Palestinians won’t be confrontational and try to take over their own new countries.
It couldn’t be just any place; it would need to be a Muslim-majority place to avoid a major clash of faiths. It would also need to be sparsely populated, like 3000 households total in the current location. It would need to not be a technical country. The only place that fits these criteria is Puntland and Somaliland, two autonomous regions in the failed country of Somalia.
- Puntland is 212,000 square kilometers (has an ISIS stronghold in the mountains in the north)
- Somaliland is 176,000 square kilometers.
- Their disputed territory is 83,000 square kilometers between these two regions.
- The area of the West Bank and Gaza are less than 6,000 square kilometers, a fraction of the total area in this region.
The deal would cost $3.8 billion to secure the land and accommodate ~3,000 Puntland families over 30 years—a relatively small amount, averaging about $127 million per year, compared to the $43 billion U.S. Aid budget. Constructing the new Palestinian state would cost up to $70 billion over 20 years, or about 8% of the annual US Aid Budget as it currently stands. The international community could fund most of it. The deal would involve the U.S. supporting the establishment of Puntland, Somaliland, and Palestine in the region as independent countries. The new Palestinian state would be located in a sparsely populated area within Puntland. The U.S. would work to convince its allies to recognize the new state. The underlying concept is, “If we build it, they will come,” and if they come, it will become a state.
The dispute over this 83,000-square-kilometer area would be resolved upon statehood. All three new countries would gain independence. Palestine’s area would be 15,000 square kilometers, nearly three times larger than the combined area of the West Bank and Gaza. Puntland would gain a larger portion of the disputed area, meaning both Puntland and Somaliland would lose territory to the Palestinian state.
No country, including Arab nations, will cede land for a Palestinian state. Israel will likely annex the West Bank, citing national security, given its narrow width (nine miles between the Mediterranean and the West Bank), making it vulnerable to north-south division in a conflict. Puntland and Somaliland are the only potential landholders, as they could gain poverty alleviation and statehood. Reducing Somalia’s instability is also in the U.S. national security interest. Billions in aid to Somalia barely reach the stable Puntland and Somaliland, while Mogadishu and its surrounding region, despite $1.7 billion in UN and U.S. aid since 2022, remain profoundly dysfunctional. The question remains, why even with these billions is Somalia not yet stable? Establishing Puntland and Somaliland as independent states, separate from Mogadishu, would recognize their existing autonomy and greater stability despite receiving far less aid.
Somaliland and Puntland would gain independence while giving up very little. Palestine would also be established, and the international community could begin building housing and a planned city for its population. The 3,000 families currently residing in this location would have their land purchased or they could become Palestine citizens. If they accept to sell they would gain new homes built for them in surrounding villages or towns of their choosing. If they accept to stay they would gain new homes.
For the purposes of human rights, Palestinians who wish to remain in the West Bank and Gaza could do so. Initially, most would likely stay. However, those displaced in refugee camps and living in squalor could relocate to a place where the international community would build them homes. This location would be far enough from Israel that their leaders would be less preoccupied with attacking Israel and more focused on governing responsibilities, such as basic sanitation and civil services as well as starting businesses.
On the following map, the black boundary indicates the proposed new state. Within this area, there are approximately 30 villages and hamlets, one town, and a total of about 3,000 structures, primarily homes. In Somalia, the average household has six members. It is estimated that some homes may house more than one household, so the estimated population currently living within the black boundary is 20,000. These residents would be offered new housing and could choose to stay, or they could sell their current homes and relocate.
As this new area develops, businesses emerge, and jobs are created, more Palestinians might choose to relocate there. Eventually, another conflict between Israel and Gaza may occur. However, this time, if homes are destroyed, they would not be rebuilt. The international community would likely tire of funding reconstruction when there is an alternative: a Palestinian state where peace prevails that already exists.
No doubht history will repeat itself: There should be two Palestinian states, each with its own distinct constitution. The first state would be governed by a constitution based on conservative religious doctrine, offering a Sharia-influenced legal system for those who choose to live under such a framework. The second would be a modern Palestinian state with a secular constitution, guaranteeing freedom of religion and protection from religious persecution. The modern state would be located in the north, while the religious state would be in the south. This division is necessary to prevent a future takeover of all of Palestine by radicals. It would also provide a safe haven in the north for families fleeing potential radical rule in the south.
The area is far more suitable for a country, with space for a large port and a large lagoon of over 17,000 hectares. Some disputes will need to be resolved, such as oil and gas rights if they are discovered off the coast. The best solution is to split the revenues 50/50 between Puntland, Somalia, and Somaliland, with the other half going to Palestine.
The largest town in this region is Hafu (Xaafuun). The optimal solution would be to construct 3,000 higher-quality homes in this area of Puntland. At an estimated cost of $50,000 per modern structure, including utilities, this project would total approximately $150 million. Each home would have indoor plumbing, basic sanitation, and solar-generated electricity, which would meet residents’ needs. In addition, each family would receive $3,000 annually for the first 10 years (a total of $15 million per year), decreasing to $2,000 annually for the next 10 years, and then $1,000 annually for the following 10 years, distributed in monthly payments. Furthermore, approximately $150 million in development loans would be available for families wishing to start local businesses to serve the community. The GDP per capita in Puntland is $507. In these villages, it can be assumed that 20% to 30% of the population lives on less than $5 per month, primarily relying on fishing and occasional low-paying work for other families.
President Trump’s Riveira will be better placed here
What does Somaliland and Puntland gain: Money, Aid, Loans!
Puntland, which would cede the most territory, is led by Said Abdullahi Deni (photo below). He is a driven individual who likely aspires to the presidency of a country rather than the leadership of a partially autonomous region within Somalia. The proposed aid package would include $30 million annually for 30 years, along with a $1 billion line of credit for Puntland businesses and banks to stimulate the local economy through loans. Current U.S. aid to Puntland, based on available records, ranges from $2.89 million to $11 million per year, primarily supporting education and health initiatives. A guaranteed $30 million annual allocation would more than cover most education and health expenses. The line of credit would also significantly boost the economy. Additional funding could be allocated to eradicating ISIS from the mountains north of the proposed Palestinian state. These mountains are relatively inhospitable, requiring most resources to be transported in. Consequently, the ISIS presence there relies on constant resupply from surrounding villages.
While Somaliland would not cede territory for a Palestinian state, it would need to relinquish control of the disputed area between Somaliland and Puntland to Puntland. Somaliland is, for the most part, an incredibly safe and well-run region within Somalia; the difference between Mogadishu and Somaliland is stark. Somaliland should be recognized as a separate state, which would help solidify its status and alleviate some of the pressures emanating from Mogadishu. A potential aid package could include $30 million annually for education and healthcare, as well as a $1 billion line of credit for businesses. If negotiations stall, these figures could be increased to encourage both parties to accept the deal. However, the agreement requires the signatures of both Somaliland and Puntland, as both aspire to statehood. This is a crucial point. The president of Somaliland is Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (see below).
This solution potentially offers the only way to remove Palestinians from a region plagued by decades of conflict and death. It also addresses a long-standing U.S. concern regarding Mogadishu, effectively shrinking this failed state and isolating it from the more prosperous regions of Somalia. Furthermore, the autonomous regions, which already aspire to statehood, offer the only logical location for the creation of new countries. Their path to independence lies in accommodating a Palestinian state.
Every Palestinian I know in the United States is a doctor, business owner, or store owner—demonstrating their entrepreneurial spirit. However, in their current location, they are suppressed by the radical leaders they elect and by a never-ending conflict. If Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria refuse to cede even a single hectare for a Palestinian state, if Gaza remains too small and effectively a prison, and if Israel continues building settlements, and if no Middle Eastern country is willing to accept more refugees, then the only viable option for a Palestinian state lies in Somalia’s autonomous regions. These regions can gain independence in exchange for ceding approximately 4% of their territory to this solution and make some money.
Implementation is often easier than people realize. If you are reading this from the United States, you are likely underinformed about world affairs. However, there is a city in Angola that China built with relative ease called Kilamba. It features 750 eight-story apartment buildings, 17 schools, 24 daycare centers, over 240 stores, and over 100 commercial premises. The cost, provided by a Chinese credit line, was $3.5 billion and would serve 200,000 residents. A Palestinian state would need 20 cities the size of Kilamba, costing $70 billion.
The best way to attract Palestinians is to offer free housing to the first 4 million who relocate; subsequent arrivals would not receive housing. There are 3.19 million Palestinians in the West Bank and 2.18 million in Gaza. There are also 2.3 million in Jordan, 568,000 in Syria, and 461,000 in Saudi Arabia, with numerous others residing in various countries. Palestinians from Gaza would be prioritized for the free housing, followed by those from the West Bank. The goal would be to relocate 4 million people to this region over ten years.
To achieve this, and whether we like it or not, the initial construction should be contracted to China. This would involve building housing for at least the first city near the port for Northern Palestine, and a second city for Southern Palestine, located at a higher elevation of 3,200 feet away from the ocean. Housing for 400,000 people, especially if the most radical individuals leave Gaza, makes a great deal of sense. However, even with China involved, Trump should still work to balance trade with China via monthly increasing tariffs of 1% per month until their is balance. Knowing Trump, he probably could get China to pay for the construction at no cost to the US tax payer.
There is only one problem: the moment numerous groups and countries realize the US is trying to implement this plan, they will immediately declare Puntland and Somaliland independent countries and recognize them as such. This would essentially grant them statehood without the US receiving anything in return, and would be done simply to block the Palestinians from having a viable alternative to years of bloodshed and instability.
