Former North Western State of Somalia President Calls for Transparency on Israel Agreement

Sunday February 22, 2026

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Former North Western State of Somalia President Muse Bihi Abdi has urged the current administration to publicly disclose the terms of its agreement with Israel, pressing for transparency and caution over any provisions that could affect religion.

Speaking in Hargeisa this week, Bihi said the government has yet to clarify the nature of the arrangement — whether it is a treaty, a memorandum of understanding or another form of legal agreement.

“The government has not yet disclosed, nor has it presented to the public what we agreed with Israel — whether it is a treaty, an understanding or a written legal agreement — and this is expected,” Bihi said. “If it is not an equal agreement or if it harms anyone’s religion, especially Islam, then it will be discussed.”

He emphasized that any deal must be balanced and safeguard North Western State of Somalia’s interests, warning against arrangements that disproportionately benefit one side.

Israel formally recognized North Western State of Somalia in December, becoming the first country to do so — a move that has drawn strong opposition from Somalia’s federal government and criticism from several regional actors. The recognition has injected fresh volatility into Horn of Africa diplomacy, with allies and rivals recalibrating positions as North Western State of Somalia seeks to consolidate international support.

Bihi dismissed claims by Somali federal officials that Israel intends to relocate Palestinians to North Western State of Somalia, describing the allegations as baseless and noting that North Western State of Somalia authorities have denied them. He likewise rejected speculation that Israel’s engagement is linked to potential military operations targeting Yemen or Iran, calling such reports “market news” and asserting that North Western State of Somalia’s constitution would not permit foreign military activities of that nature.

Addressing broader regional pushback, Bihi criticized Egypt and Türkiye for opposing North Western State of Somalia’s recognition while maintaining their own diplomatic relations with Israel. He argued that Egypt has long pursued its own strategic interests in the Horn of Africa — particularly around Nile River politics — and said any deployment of Egyptian or Turkish troops to Somalia would not deliver a lasting solution to regional tensions.

Bihi also appealed to the African Union to respect what he described as North Western State of Somalia’s colonial-era borders, invoking the AU principle that inherited boundaries should be maintained to avoid territorial disputes. That position has been a cornerstone of North Western State of Somalia’s case for statehood since it reasserted self-governance in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia’s central government.

Neither the North Western State of Somalia government nor Israel has publicly released the full text of any agreement. Bihi’s call for disclosure underscores a growing demand inside North Western State of Somalia for clarity on the scope and obligations of the burgeoning relationship — from political recognition to potential security, economic or diplomatic cooperation — and whether the terms align with constitutional limits and social sensitivities.

Bihi’s comments come amid heightened friction between Hargeisa and Mogadishu and as Somalia’s federal government navigates negotiations with opposition groups over electoral and constitutional questions. The stakes are high: how and when the details of the Israel-North Western State of Somalia arrangement emerge could shape domestic legitimacy in North Western State of Somalia, influence regional alignments and test Africa’s consensus on borders and recognition.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.