The federal Executive of Somalia has harshly censured the decision of the separatist region of Somaliland to launch an 'embassy' in Jerusalem as part of the establishment of diplomatic ties with Israel, a country that in December 2025 became the first in the world to recognize the independence of this territory, a move equally repudiated by Mogadishu.
In a statement, the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated its "unwavering commitment to the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country" and has expressed its "categorical rejection" of "any action or measure that undermines the legal and political status of the Somali State or that contravenes international legitimacy and relevant resolutions of regional and international organizations."
The department has added that "Somalia strongly condemns the step taken by the northwestern region of Somalia to inaugurate a supposed embassy in Jerusalem," remarking that "this step is totally null and void from a legal point of view, therefore it has no legal effect of any kind." Likewise, it has stressed that "it constitutes an unacceptable provocation to the Arab and Islamic world."
For his part, Mohamed Hagi, appointed by Somaliland as its 'ambassador' to Israel, announced on Tuesday that the region's 'embassy' will be located in Jerusalem. "The embassy will open soon, while Israel will establish its Embassy in Hargeisa, reflecting a growing friendship, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation between both peoples," he stated in a message disseminated on social media.
The opening of new diplomatic legations in Jerusalem or the transfer of Embassies to the holy city -- a process initiated in 2018 by the United States, during the first term of Donald Trump in the White House -- has been questioned by Palestinian authorities and by the majority of the international community. For the UN, these initiatives unilaterally violate the 'status quo' of Jerusalem, whose final status must be settled within the framework of direct peace negotiations.
On December 26, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially recognized Somaliland, making Israel the first State to accept the region as an independent country since it unilaterally proclaimed its secession in 1991, a gesture that until now has not been supported by the rest of the international community.