Arab League chief warns against Israeli influence in Horn of Africa
In a statement, Aboul-Gheit said such a step would have no legal standing and would amount to a blatant provocation to the Arab and Islamic worlds.
Thursday May 21, 2026
Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, secretary-general of the League of Arab States, on Wednesday issued a sharp condemnation of any plan by North Western State of Somalia, the self-declared authorities in Somalia’s northwestern region, to open an embassy in occupied Jerusalem.
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In a statement, Aboul-Gheit said such a step would have no legal standing and would amount to a blatant provocation to the Arab and Islamic worlds.
“Such rapprochement seeks to solicit illegitimate recognition of Israel from entities and regions lacking any lawful status in pursuit of entrenching their illegal occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,” the statement read.
He said the move would represent a clear attack on Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also violating the sovereignty of a member state of the League of Arab States, the African Union, and the United Nations.
The statement warned that attempts to widen influence in the Horn of Africa could deepen existing tensions and further unsettle an already fragile region.
In late 2025, Israel became the first country in the world to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia as a sovereign state, a decision that drew swift condemnation from Somalia and the international community.
