A coalition of Arab and Muslim-majority countries has condemned Somaliland’s decision to open what it described as a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, escalating tensions around the self-declared republic’s growing geopolitical role in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea corridor.
In a joint statement confirmed by Qatar News Agency, foreign ministers from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Djibouti, Somalia, Palestine, Oman, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Mauritania and Algeria condemned the move as an “illegal and unacceptable step”, saying it violated international law and undermined the status of occupied East Jerusalem.
“This constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and relevant international resolutions, and represents a direct infringement on the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem,” the statement said.
Israel recognition reshapes Somaliland’s diplomacy
The diplomatic backlash comes months after Israel became the first United Nations member state to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent country in December 2025, reigniting debate across Africa and the Middle East over sovereignty, Red Sea security and regional alliances.
