Last week, Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland’s independence, angering international powers who deplored the decision at the United Nations Security Council.
Somalia’s claim that Somaliland traded recognition of Israel in exchange for accepting Palestinians displaced from Gaza is false, Somaliland’s foreign ministry said Thursday, denying rumors that the newly recognized state would accept Palestinians or become a hub for a military base.
“Somaliland’s engagement with the State of Israel is purely diplomatic, conducted with full respect for international law and the mutual sovereign interests of both countries,” the Foreign Ministry posted on X/Twitter. “These baseless allegations are intended to mislead the international community and undermine Somaliland’s diplomatic progress.
“Somaliland remains committed to regional stability and peaceful international cooperation. »
Last week, Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland’s independence, angering international powers who deplored the decision at the UN Security Council.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told Al Jazeera last week that he believed Israel’s real intentions were to see Gaza residents deported to Somalia, saying Israel wanted to “export its Gaza problem” to the African nation.
A LARGE “Free Palestine” sign is seen at a soccer match in Istanbul, Turkey, in late 2025. It is hypocritical that countries that support calls for Palestinian statehood often oppose recognition of Somaliland and Kurdistan, the author says. (credit: MURAD SEZER/Reuters)
Somalia warns of ‘serious threat’ as Israel eyes Somaliland
“Israel has no peaceful intentions in coming to Somalia. This is an extremely dangerous step, and the whole world, especially Arabs and Muslims, must consider it a serious threat,” Mohamud said.
Somali Foreign Minister Ali Mohamed Omar warned that the Israeli decision could “disrupt Somalia’s democratic and state-building efforts, and contribute to instability in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.” He also warned that political fragmentation could create opportunities for extremist groups, including Al-Shabaab and ISIS.
Mohamud told Al Jazeera that Israel’s recognition came at the cost of accepting the resettlement of Palestinians in the country, the establishment of an Israeli military base and Somaliland’s adherence to the Abraham Accords.
Located in the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland is close to Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthis have launched numerous attacks against the Jewish state since the start of the war against the “Axis of Resistance” in 2023.
Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi, leader of the Houthi terrorist group, warned on Sunday that the organization would “consider any Israeli presence in Somaliland as a military target,” the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported.
Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan told Israeli public broadcaster KAN in March that the country would not rule out accepting displaced Palestinians.
“We are open to discussion on any issue, but we do not want to speculate on topics that have not yet been discussed. All countries that wish to discuss certain issues with us must first establish working relations with us and open diplomatic missions in Somaliland,” Adan said. “The most important thing for us is to be recognized after showing the world that we are a peace-loving and democratic country, independent for 33 years.”
Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said his own country would categorically reject “any proposal or initiative, from any party, that would undermine the right of the Palestinian people to live in peace in their ancestral land.”
Tobias Holcman contributed to this report.
