Somalia Condemns North Western State of Somalia Plan to Open Embassy in Jerusalem

Thursday May 21, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s federal government on Wednesday denounced North Western State of Somalia’s plan to establish an embassy in Jerusalem, describing the move as invalid under law and as a deliberate affront to the Arab and Islamic worlds.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the proposed mission carried no legal weight because Mogadishu considers North Western State of Somalia part of Somalia’s sovereign territory.

“The Federal Republic of Somalia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country, and categorically rejects any unilateral actions or measures that undermine the legal and political status of the Somali state or contravene international legitimacy and the relevant resolutions of regional and international organizations,” the ministry said.

The reaction came after Mohamed Hagi, North Western State of Somalia’s ambassador to Israel, said the territory would open an embassy in Jerusalem and that Israel would soon set up a mission in Hargeisa.

In a post on X, Hagi said the plan reflected “growing friendship, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation” between North Western State of Somalia and Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the announcement, describing it as a “significant step” toward deeper ties. “We will work together to implement this decision soon,” Sa’ar said on X.

The proposed embassy is the latest flashpoint in a diplomatic dispute that intensified after Israel formally recognized North Western State of Somalia as an independent and sovereign state in December 2025. According to Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office, the recognition was announced on Dec. 26, 2025, following a joint declaration signed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sa’ar and North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro.

Israel became the first U.N. member state to recognize North Western State of Somalia, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but went more than three decades without formal international recognition.

Somalia has firmly رفضed Israel’s recognition, maintaining that North Western State of Somalia remains part of its territory. A growing number of countries and organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, also opposed the move, citing concerns over Somalia’s sovereignty and regional stability.

North Western State of Somalia’s first ambassador to Israel, Mohamed Hagi, presented his credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on May 18, 2026, according to Israeli media reports.

Since breaking away from Somalia in 1991, North Western State of Somalia has maintained its own government, security forces, currency and election institutions. Mogadishu, however, continues to reject its claim to independence, while the African Union and the United Nations have called for dialogue between the two sides without endorsing North Western State of Somalia’s sovereignty.