Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent state has triggered widespread international backlash from the United States and countries in the EU, African Union and the Middle East.
Somalia also slammed Israel for the ‘illegal move’ and vowed to defend its sovereignty.
Officials in Mogadishu said they would pursue all diplomatic methods and legal procedures to counter unlawful and “deliberate” attempts to legitimise secession, with Somalian President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing Israel of violating international norms.
Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia, he said.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Friday announced that Israel and Somaliland – the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa – had signed a joint declaration establishing full diplomatic relations.
With a reference to the “spirit of the Abraham records”, which were a set of deals brokered by the United States to establish formal ties between Israel and Arab states, Netanyahu congratulated Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in a video call, praising his “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” and invited him to visit Israel.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but has not been recognised by any UN member state. Somalia, too, never accepted Somaliland’s independence.
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The United States responded to Israel’s latest stand with a statement saying it continues to recognise Somalia’s territorial integrity, including the territory of Somaliland.
The European Union, too, reacted strongly to the move, saying Somalia’s territorial integrity must be upheld at all costs.
EU foreign affairs spokesman, Anouar El Anouni, said the bloc “reaffirms the importance of respecting the unity, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia”, and added that this is the “key for the peace and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region”.
“The EU encourages meaningful dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve long-standing differences,” he added.
The Middle Eastern and African nations also condemned the recognition, maintaining that Somalia’s borders can’t be changed unilaterally.
Some observers and human rights groups have suggested that the Israeli government has been trying to deflect international attention away from its war crimes in Gaza.
Certain international analysts also highlighted a growing rift between Israel and much of the international community after more than 28 nations recognised Palestine as an independent state at the UN summit this year, following Israel’s war with Hamas.
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