Somalia officially demands Israel reverse recognition of Somaliland
Somalia officially demands Israel reverse recognition of Somaliland
M.U.H
02/12/202519
Somalia has formally demanded that the Israeli regime rescind its recognition of Somaliland, with Mogadishu describing the move as an unlawful violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In comments to Qatar’s Al Jazeera television network on Saturday, Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ali Omar condemned the regime’s decision as an act of “aggression that will never be tolerated” and “illegal interference” in Somalia’s internal affairs.
He said Somalia would pursue diplomatic avenues to challenge the recognition.
Tel Aviv announced on Friday that it had formally recognized Somaliland in a move lacking all international precedence.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but the decision has not been recognized by any United Nations member state.
Omar denounced the regime for seeking recognition in part to advance plans related to, what he called, forcible displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, a concern that has also been raised by the Palestinian Authority.
His remarks followed months of reporting that the regime and the United States had quietly engaged Somaliland as a potential destination for Palestinians displaced from Gaza, alongside Morocco, and Puntland, a state that considers itself to be part of Somalia, despite not accepting the legitimacy of the African country's current governing administration.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to frame the move as an expansion of the Abraham Accords, US-mediated deals that has witnessed normalization of relations between the regime and some regional states since 2020.
He has said he would champion Somaliland’s case during an upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump.
The Israeli decision to recognize Somaliland has drawn widespread regional and international rejection.
Iran, African regional bodies, Arab states, and Turkey have collectively opposed the recognition, warning that it violates the international law and undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The African Union has stated that Somaliland remained an integral part of Somalia and cautioned that unilateral recognition risked peace and stability across the continent.
Similar concerns were voiced by the East African regional bloc IGAD, which said the move contravened the UN Charter and African Union frameworks.
Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, and Qatar have also issued coordinated statements, rejecting the move as a separatist measure that threatened regional stability and set a dangerous precedent.
