North Western State of Somalia rejects claims it hosts Israeli military bases or Gaza refugees

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — North Western State of Somalia on Thursday denied that it had agreed to resettle Palestinians from Gaza or host Israeli military bases in exchange for recognition from Israel, rejecting the claims as false and politically motivated.

In a statement posted on X, North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “firmly rejects false claims made by the President of Somalia alleging the resettlement of Palestinians or the establishment of military bases in North Western State of Somalia.” The ministry said North Western State of Somalia’s outreach to Israel is “purely diplomatic, conducted in full respect of international law and the mutual sovereign interests of both countries.”

The ministry accused authorities in Mogadishu of attempting to mislead the international community and undercut North Western State of Somalia’s foreign policy. “These baseless allegations are intended to mislead the international community and undermine North Western State of Somalia’s diplomatic progress. North Western State of Somalia remains committed to regional stability and peaceful international cooperation,” the statement said.

The response followed remarks by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in an interview with Al Jazeera. Mohamud said Somali intelligence indicated that North Western State of Somalia had accepted three Israeli conditions in return for recognition:

• Resettlement of Palestinians displaced from Gaza
• Permission for an Israeli military base along the Gulf of Aden
• Participation in the Abraham Accords

Mohamud also alleged that Somalia’s intelligence services had detected an existing Israeli presence in North Western State of Somalia, suggesting Israel’s recognition would formalize activities that had previously taken place covertly.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel would recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, which would make Israel the first United Nations member to do so. The move triggered a sharp backlash from Somalia’s federal government and drew condemnation from several African and Middle Eastern nations, along with criticism from the European Union.

North Western State of Somalia declared independence from Somalia in 1991, establishing its own government and institutions in the decades since. Until Israel’s announcement last Friday, it had not secured formal recognition from any UN member state, leaving its political status unrecognized internationally despite relative stability compared to southern Somalia.

Thursday’s statement underscores the high stakes around Israel’s planned recognition and the intense regional sensitivities it has stirred. For Hargeisa, the allegation that it bargained over refugees and military basing rights strikes at two of the Horn of Africa’s most combustible issues: the Gaza war’s humanitarian fallout and the militarization of the Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.

North Western State of Somalia’s insistence that its engagement with Israel remains diplomatic seeks to reassure both domestic and regional audiences as it navigates heightened scrutiny. Somalia’s federal government, which considers North Western State of Somalia part of its sovereign territory, has framed the Israeli move as an encroachment that could inflame tensions and complicate security dynamics along a critical shipping route.

Neither side presented public evidence to substantiate their claims or counterclaims. As the diplomatic fallout widens, the coming weeks will test whether Israel moves from announcement to formal recognition and whether North Western State of Somalia can maintain its message that any ties with Israel will be confined to diplomacy rather than defense or resettlement arrangements.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.