Albanian PM rejects speculation that Albania will host displaced Gaza Palestinians

Prime Minister Edi Rama firmly dismissed rumors that Albania will participate in a potential U.S.-backed plan to relocate Palestinians displaced from Gaza as part of President Donald Trump’s proposed reconstruction efforts. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, where he was a panelist in a discussion on Middle East peace, Rama categorically ruled out Albania’s involvement. He stated that as long as he leads the government, the country will not host Palestinians from Gaza. He also further clarified that no such request has been made by the U.S. administration.

Why is this important: Since Trump first introduced his Gaza reconstruction plan, Albania has frequently been mentioned in speculation as a potential host country for displaced Palestinians. The issue gained further attention last week when Trump was asked directly at a press conference with Jordan’s King Abdullah II whether he was considering options beyond Egypt and Jordan, including Indonesia and Albania. While the former president did not confirm specific countries, his response—suggesting that “many nations” were interested—has fueled concerns and political controversy in Albania.

Context: Uncertainty surrounding Albania’s alleged role escalated after comments by opposition leader Sali Berisha. Berisha claimed that four months ago, he had been told by Albanian construction developers that they had been approached by Rama’s government to build housing for 20,000 Palestinians who would begin purchasing apartments in Tirana.

However, Berisha’s timeline raises immediate questions. Four months ago, the U.S. presidential elections had not yet taken place, and the previous American administration had never put forward a plan for Gaza’s reconstruction that included the relocation of Palestinians. Even Trump himself did not mention this proposal during his campaign, only unveiling it publicly a few weeks ago. This discrepancy has led critics to dismiss Berisha’s claims as baseless speculation at best—or a deliberate political attack ahead of the upcoming election campaign at worst. It would not be the first time that Berisha makes such outlandish claims about his political rivals.

What did Rama say: During his remarks at the Munich Security Conference, Rama made it clear that Albania has neither been asked nor will ever agree to host displaced Palestinians.

“We have deep respect and great sympathy for these people, who come from one of the darkest dictatorships that has ever existed—Hamas. But we are not part of this plan, nor will we be. This is entirely fake news. Never—not once—has the Trump administration made such a request. And even if they did, which I doubt will happen, it would make no sense.”

Rama also questioned the logistical feasibility of such a plan, pointing out that Albania is in the heart of Europe and not a logical destination for relocating large numbers of displaced people.

“We are a small country, not a logistics center. This is fake news, and it will not happen—not as long as I am here.”

Albania’s past role in humanitarian efforts: During his speech, Rama emphasized Albania’s long history of welcoming people in need, including:

• Jewish refugees during World War II.
• Iranian opposition activists (MEK), who were granted asylum in Albania in 2012.
• Afghan refugees, who fled the Taliban and were sheltered in Albania in August 2021.

However, Rama made it clear that the Gaza situation is different, and that Albania has no plans to welcome displaced Palestinians.

What’s next: While no formal request has been made, it remains to be seen whether the opposition will try to promote speculation and political maneuvering around the issue especially as Albania heads into its own election season.