Somaliland has rejected accusations that it agreed to host Israeli military facilities or resettle displaced Palestinians from Gaza in exchange for diplomatic recognition by Israel, insisting its engagement with Tel Aviv has been strictly diplomatic.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the allegations as baseless, saying relations with Israel were conducted “purely on diplomatic grounds and in full respect of international law”.
Read also: Nigeria, over 20 countries reject Israel’s recognition of Somaliland
The denial followed comments by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President of Somalia, who told Al Jazeera that Somaliland had accepted three conditions from Israel in return for recognition. He claimed these included resettling Palestinians from Gaza, allowing Israel to establish a military base along the Gulf of Aden, and joining the Abraham Accords to normalise ties with Israel.
Somaliland officials rejected the claims, saying no discussions had taken place on hosting Palestinians or foreign military facilities. However, only one element of the allegation has been publicly acknowledged. Somaliland has confirmed plans to join the Abraham Accords.
Read also: Israel recognises Somaliland, sparking sharp backlash from Somalia
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, confirmed this earlier in the week, telling United States media outlet Newsmax that Israel wanted to “support a democratic, moderate country, a Muslim country, that wants to join the Abraham Accords.
Israel last week became the first country to recognise Somaliland as an independent state, ending more than 30 years of failed attempts by the breakaway region to secure international recognition.
Somalia has reacted angrily, warning that Israel’s move goes beyond diplomacy. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated that the recognition was tied to broader strategic objectives.
“This was not merely a diplomatic gesture but a cover for specific, high-stakes Israeli strategic goals,” he said in an interview from Istanbul, Turkiye.
He warned that Israel was seeking to “export its problem in Gaza” to the Horn of Africa and said the decision risked opening “a box of evils in the world”.
Earlier reports suggested that Somaliland was among the locations Israel had explored as part of proposals widely criticised as attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza. While Somaliland’s foreign minister denied any talks on the issue, he stopped short of issuing an absolute rejection, unlike other countries linked to similar rumours.
Read also: Somaliland wants to secede — will it be Africa’s 55th country?
Analysts say Israel’s sudden recognition of Somaliland may be driven by strategic considerations rather than diplomacy alone. The region sits at a critical point near the Red Sea, opposite Yemen, where the Houthis have previously targeted Israel linked shipping and launched attacks during the Gaza war.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid civil war and the collapse of the central government. Since then, it has maintained its own administration, currency and security forces, but has never been recognised by the United Nations or any member state until Israel’s announcement.
Somalia continues to regard Somaliland as an integral part of its territory and has warned that Israel’s move could have serious consequences for regional stability and the future of Palestinians in Gaza.
![From left, the heads of state of the three countries: Mali's Assimi Goita, Niger's General Abdourahamane Tchiani and Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore [File: Mahamadou Hamidou/Reuters]](https://businessday.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Untitled-design-2025-09-23T162405.889-1-small.png)
