Israeli foreign minister visits Somaliland: 'Unlike "Palestine," it's not a virtual state'
Gideon Sa'ar vowed that mutual embassies would be opened, and the president said he had accepted Prime Minister Netanyahu's invitation to visit Israel. The trip comes about two weeks after Israel became the first UN member state to recognize the republic as an independent state
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Gideon Sa'ar vowed that mutual embassies would be opened, and the president said he had accepted Prime Minister Netanyahu's invitation to visit Israel. The trip comes about two weeks after Israel became the first UN member state to recognize the republic as an independent state
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi during their meeting on Tuesday. Credit: Foreign Minister's Press Office
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi during their meeting on Tuesday. Credit: Foreign Minister's Press Office
01:24 PM • January 06 2026 IST
Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, visited Somaliland on Tuesday and met with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi.
The visit marked Israel's first diplomatic mission since recognizing Somaliland. Sa'ar announced that the two sides had agreed to appoint ambassadors and open embassies, adding: "We'll get that done soon."
In an official statement, Sa'ar said: "Unlike 'Palestine,' Somaliland is not a virtual state." He added that it is "pro-Western and friendly to Israel."
Sa'ar also said Israel and Somaliland would cooperate on strategic partnerships in the medical, defense, education and water sectors. "In the coming months, we'll bring local professionals from Somaliland's water sector to Israel for training," he said. "We'll also send Israeli experts here to help implement new capabilities."
