21 states, OIC condemn Israeli recognition of Somaliland, reject Palestinian displacement

CAIRO – 27 December 2025: Twenty-one countries, including Egypt, issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning Israel’s recognition of a Somali breakaway region and warning against establishing any link between this measure and schemes to displace the Palestinian people from their land.

The statement included the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and a cross-regional group of countries: Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Türkiye, and Yemen.

Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognise self-declared Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, dismissing Somalia’s longstanding rejection of secession.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government but has not been internationally recognised and is considered by Mogadishu and the international community as part of Somalia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, signed a joint declaration described by Netanyahu’s office as being concluded “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.”

These are US-brokered agreements signed in 2020 to normalise diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries.

Somalia has condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and demanded that Israel reverse its move.

‘Serios Repercussions’

In the joint statement, the signatories expressed their “unequivocal rejection” of Israel’s recognition, describing it as a “full and blatant disregard for international law.”

The statement warned of the “serious repercussions” of Israel’s move on peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, underlining its potential effects on international stability and security.

It said the recognition constitutes a grave violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, which enshrines the protection of state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The recognition of parts of states constitutes a serious precedent, threatens international peace and security, and violates the cardinal principles of international law and the United Nations Charter,” the statement said.

The countries reaffirmed their full support for Somalia’s sovereignty and their rejection of any measures undermining its unity, territorial integrity, or control over its territory.

Palestinian displacement

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland follows reports that it had approached the breakaway region about hosting Palestinians from Gaza as part of a US-Israeli plan earlier this year to resettle the territory’s population permanently.

The plan has faced rejection across the Arab world and internationally.

The joint statement affirmed “full rejection of any potential link between such measures and attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people from their land, which is unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.”