Somali President Claims Somaliland Accepted Palestinian Resettlement In Exchange For Israel's Recognition
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Israel’s recognition of Somaliland was "unexpected and strange," warning that the move carries implications for Palestinians in Gaza, in comments to Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
Speaking from Istanbul, Turkiye, he outlined Somalia’s concerns and said Israel’s decision was abrupt and destabilizing. Mohamud said that Somaliland has pursued its secessionist claim for decades without international recognition, noting that "no one country in the world has recognized it," while Somalia has sought reunification "in a peaceful manner,” making Israel’s move, after 34 years, “very unexpected and strange."
According to Mohamud, Somali intelligence indicates Somaliland accepted three Israeli conditions in exchange for recognition. He listed them as the resettlement of Palestinians, an Israeli military base on the Gulf of Aden coast, and accession to the Abraham Accords.
In a speech delivered on December 28, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen’s Ansarallah, said that any Israeli footprint in Somaliland would be treated as a legitimate "military target" by the Yemeni Armed Forces.
Mohamud said there is already "a certain level" of Israeli presence in Somaliland, describing the recognition as the public normalization of what had been happening covertly, adding that Israel’s presence "is not for peace," and warned of plans to forcibly displace Palestinians to Somalia.
Mohamud also pointed to Israel’s interest in controlling strategic waterways linking the Red Sea, the Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden, as part of a wider Israeli push across West Asia and the Mediterranean.
A 20-point plan issued by Donald Trump ahead of a Gaza ceasefire said "no one will be forced to leave Gaza," while allowing voluntary departure and return.
However, Mohamud said Israel has continued to explore displacement options, citing reports of mysterious flights to South Africa.
Israeli Channel 12 reported in February 2025 that Morocco, Puntland, and Somaliland were being considered under Trump's plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians expelled from Gaza, as he reiterated his intent for the US to take “ownership” of the strip while seeking political incentives tied to recognition and strategic influence.
The Somali leader gave a joint news conference with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, both of them warning that the recognition could destabilize the Horn of Africa. Israel's move was rejected by most members of the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting in New York.
The US was the sole member defending Israel, while stressing that its own position on Somaliland remained unchanged. Israel formally recognized Somaliland on December 26, becoming the first country to do so since the region declared independence in 1991, a move announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and framed as part of cooperation "in the spirit of the Abraham Accords."
🇸🇴🇮🇱 ISRAEL–SOMALILAND DEAL? SOMALIA'S PRESIDENT CLAIMS SECRET ACCORD ON PALESTINIAN RESETTLEMENT, MILITARY BASE & ABRAHAM ACCORDS
Tensions are escalating in the Horn of Africa after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made explosive claims about covert agreements between… pic.twitter.com/lziXHUHlYh
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 31, 2025
The decision triggered swift regional condemnation, with Somalia rejecting it outright and Egypt, Turkiye, and Djibouti warning of destabilizing consequences for the Horn of Africa.
The recognition followed months of reports linking Somaliland to US-Israeli discussions on Palestinian resettlement from Gaza and potential military access near the Red Sea, claims that both Somali and Somaliland authorities had previously denied.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 – 04:00