The president of the Somaliland breakaway region, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, arrived in Israel on Sunday for a first visit, during which he will inaugurate the region’s embassy in Jerusalem, the daiy Israel Hayom reported.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog posted photos of his meeting with Abdullahi on the US social media platform X, saying: “welcome to Israel, President of Somaliland.”
“This historic visit embodies the enormous potential of the new partnership between our two countries,” he said.
Abdullahi is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar during his two-day visit, according to the Maariv newspaper.
He is planned to open the Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem on Monday, according to the same source.
Israel recognized the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent sovereign state in late December 2025, triggering a massive wave of condemnation.
Somaliland, which has lacked official recognition since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, operates as a de facto independent administrative, political, and security entity.
The Somali government refuses to recognize Somaliland as an independent state, considers it an integral part of its territory, and views any direct deals or engagement with it as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and unity.
