Arab, Islamic States Reject Israel’s Somaliland Recognition at Expense of Palestinians

A cross-regional group of 21 Arab, Islamic and African nations has reiterated categorical rejection of Israel’s recognition of the breakaway Somaliland over fears of linking it to the forced expulsion of Palestinians.

Israel recognized Somaliland as an independent state on December 26, 2025, becoming the first UN member state to grant formal recognition to the Horn of Africa breakaway region.

Strong Condemnation

On Saturday, the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, The Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Türkiye and Yemen, in addition to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland.

In the statement, released by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the foreign ministers expressed their unequivocal rejection of the Israeli move, warning of its “serious repercussions” on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, as well as on international peace and security.

They also strongly condemned the Israeli decision as a grave violation of the international law and the UN Charter, which uphold the principles of state sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

No Palestinian Displacement

The foreign ministers reaffirmed their full support for Somalia, rejecting any measures that undermine the country’s unity, territorial integrity or sovereignty. Moreover, they warned that recognizing parts of states constitutes a serious precedent and threatens international peace and security.

Most importantly, they stressed their full rejection of any potential link between Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and plans to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land, reiterating their categorical rejection of such measures in any form as a matter of principle.

Somaliland Recognition

On Friday, Israel formally recognized Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state,” signing an agreement establishing full diplomatic relations, including the opening of embassies and the appointment of ambassadors.

Furthermore, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, invited the breakaway region’s head, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, to visit Israel.

Abdullahi, for his part, hailed the Israeli decision as the beginning of a “strategic partnership,” expressing Somaliland’s readiness to join the Abraham Accords – the US-brokered peace agreements between Israel and a number of countries, signed during Donald Trump’s first term.

Somaliland is a former British protectorate, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, running a de facto state in the north-west tip of Somalia. It is bordered by Djibouti to the north-west and Ethiopia to the west and south.

Some analysts linked Israel’s decision to its military operations against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, given Somaliland’s strategic location near the Red Sea and its geographical proximity to Yemen.

Somaliland & Displacement Schemes

In March 2025, the Associated Press (AP) reported that the US and Israel were in contacts with three East African governments, including the breakaway Somaliland region, to receive Palestinians expelled from Gaza as part of Trump’s postwar plan.

However, officials from Somaliland told the AP they were not aware of any contacts.

In February, Trump unveiled a plan for postwar Gaza, suggesting that the US would take full control of the Strip and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East” after resettling its Palestinian population to neighboring countries.

The proposal faced outrage and categorical rejection from Palestinians, Arab countries and humanitarian groups. It was also met with strong regional and global condemnation as a proposal for ethnic cleansing.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera on Saturday, Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Omar, noted that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland aligns with its plans to displace Palestinians.

“One of the motivating factors is the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. It has been widely known – Israel’s goal on that issue,” he said.

Supporting Somalia

The Israeli decision has sparked regional and international reactions, with several countries rejecting the move and voicing support for Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity.

Somalia called Israel’s recognition of Somaliland a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty. It stressed that Somaliland Region is “an integral, inseparable, and inalienable part of the sovereign territory of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”

Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli move as a “unilateral secessionist move that violates international law.” It also said it fully supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, reaffirming rejection of “any attempts to impose parallel entities that undermine the country’s unity.”

Similarly, the African Union (AU) expressed strong rejection of “any initiative or action aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent entity,” reaffirming “unwavering commitment to the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia.”

Other regional stakeholders, including Egypt, Türkiye and Djibouti, supported Somalia, warning that the “recognition of breakaway regions within sovereign states sets a dangerous precedent that poses a direct threat to international peace and security.”

The European Union (EU) also reaffirmed the importance of respecting the unity, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Somalia. “This is key for the peace and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region,” it said in a statement.