Israel Becomes First Country to Recognize Somaliland; Africa Objects

Africa’s regional governing bodies rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent nation, a step announced on Friday, Dec. 26, that made Israel the first country to recognize the breakaway region, according to CBS News, The Associated Press (via NBC News) and Al Jazeera.

Somaliland, a territory in the Horn of Africa, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid civil conflict. Despite having its own government and currency, it had never been recognized by any United Nations member state before Friday, Al Jazeera reported. African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the commission “firmly rejects any initiative or action aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent entity,” and the African Union warned of “setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent,” according to Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera also reported that Youssouf cited a 1964 African Union decision on the intangibility of inherited borders.

Somalia’s federal government called Israel’s move unlawful and reaffirmed that the northern region is an integral part of its territory, according to CBS News and NBC News. Al Jazeera reported that Somalia’s prime minister’s office called it a deliberate attack on its sovereignty, and that Foreign Affairs State Minister Ali Omar called it “aggression that will never be tolerated” and said Somalia would pursue all available diplomatic options.

The criticism spread beyond Africa. Al Jazeera reported that Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit called the decision “a clear violation of international law,” and that the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, China and Nigeria also issued statements; the European Union said it respected Somalia’s territorial integrity and called for dialogue between Somalia and Somaliland. According to CBS News and NBC News, Egypt’s foreign ministry backed Somalia’s “sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” and the East African bloc IGAD said any unilateral recognition runs contrary to the Charter of the United Nations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, signed a joint declaration “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” the 2020 initiative that established ties between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries, according to CBS News and NBC News. In a video call, Netanyahu invited Abdullahi to Israel and the invitation was accepted, Al Jazeera reported. Abdullahi called the decision a “historic moment” and said it marked the start of a “strategic partnership,” according to Al Jazeera.

It is not known why Israel acted now or whether it expects something in return, according to CBS News and NBC News. Somalia’s Omar said a key motivation was to displace Palestinians from Gaza, and Palestine’s foreign ministry said Israel had earlier named Somaliland as a possible destination for forced displacement, Al Jazeera reported; Al Jazeera noted that Israel had not confirmed any such link. Earlier this year, U.S. and Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Israel had approached Somaliland about taking in Palestinians from Gaza as part of President Donald Trump’s then-plan to resettle the territory’s population. The United States has since abandoned that plan.

The United States had not followed Israel’s lead as of Saturday. Reports differ on the details of what Trump told the New York Post: CBS News quoted him as saying “We’ll study it,” while Al Jazeera reported that he said the U.S. would not follow Israel’s lead.