Overview
- Gideon Saar met President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in Hargeisa and said Israel and Somaliland will appoint ambassadors and open embassies, with Abdullahi accepting an invitation to visit Israel.
- Somalia condemned the visit as illegal and said it reserves the right to pursue diplomatic and legal steps to defend its territorial integrity.
- The African Union Peace and Security Council condemned Israel’s recognition in the strongest terms and urged its immediate revocation, with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and several states also critical.
- Somaliland denies any agreement to host Israeli bases or resettle Palestinians, while analysts link Israel’s move to Red Sea security and countering Yemen’s Houthis near key shipping lanes.
- Israel and Somaliland flagged cooperation in areas such as water management and development, while the United States maintained its recognition of Somalia’s territorial integrity and the European Union called for respect for Somalia’s sovereignty.