Israel’s first ambassador to Somaliland presents credentials in Hargeisa

Israel expands ties with the breakaway territory as Somalia challenges its motives and war intensifies in Yemen.

Israel’s ambassador to Somaliland, Michael Lotem, left, and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi at the ceremony in Hargeisa last month [File: Handout/Somaliland Presidency]

Israel’s first ambassador to Somaliland has presented his credentials to the breakaway territory’s president, who formally accepted them at a ceremony in Hargeisa, where officials also laid the cornerstone for an Israeli embassy.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced the ceremonies on Sunday, saying they were held last week.

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The move puts into practice an agreement reached on December 26, 2025, when Israel became the first United Nations member state to recognise Somaliland, It declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains claimed by Mogadishu.

Describing it as a “historical day,” President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, said during the ceremony that it was the first time a Somaliland president had received the credentials of an ambassador from a UN member state recognising its independence.

Ambassador Michael Lotem said Israel’s recognition acknowledged what Somaliland had built over 35 years, rather than serving as a mere diplomatic formality.

Somaliland has governed itself for more than three decades, but remains without recognition from any other UN member state.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in a statement on Sunday that the exchange of ambassadors fulfilled commitments made when relations were established.

Sa’ar visited Somaliland in January and the territory opened an embassy in West Jerusalem during Cirro’s visit to Israel in June.

At the ceremony in Hargeisa, Cirro stressed the broader importance of the relationship.

“Given our strategic position around the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, our cooperation carries important regional and international significance. Let me reaffirm that Somaliland approaches this relationship with genuine strategic commitment and a long-term perspective,” he said.

Somaliland lies across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen , near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the vital shipping passage between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

Fighting has intensified on the Yemeni side of the strait in recent weeks.

On October 9, United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg warned that Yemen had returned to full-scale war , with battles involving the Iran-aligned Houthi movement and forces of the internationally recognised government.

Israel has also acknowledged a security relationship that predates its diplomatic recognition.

During Cirro’s visit to Israel in June, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the two sides had cooperated on secret operations for years and wanted to expand their security ties.

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud challenged Israel’s motives in an interview with Sky News this week, saying it was seeking access to the Red Sea rather than supporting Somaliland’s independence.

“Israel wants the Red Sea, that is the only reason,” he said.

Mohamud also alleged that Israel wants a naval base in the territory.

Somaliland officials have signalled openness to hosting an Israeli military base, but the territory’s president recently said no talks had been held.

Somalia condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December as a violation of its sovereignty.

Israel’s move has also been condemned by the Arab League, African Union and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

以色列扩大与分离地区的联系，与此同时，索马里质疑以色列的动机，也门战争愈演愈烈。

上个月在哈尔格萨举行的仪式上，以色列驻索马里兰大使迈克尔·洛特姆（左）和索马里兰总统阿卜杜拉赫曼·穆罕默德·阿卜杜拉希合影。[图片：索马里兰总统府提供]

以色列首任驻索马里兰大使向该分离地区的总统递交了国书，总统在哈尔格萨举行的仪式上正式接受了国书。仪式上，官员们还为以色列大使馆奠基。

以色列外交部周日宣布了这些仪式，称仪式于上周举行。

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此举将2025年12月26日达成的协议付诸实践。当时，以色列成为第一个承认索马里兰的联合国成员国。索马里兰于1991年宣布脱离索马里独立，但摩加迪沙仍声称对其拥有主权。

索马里兰总统阿卜杜拉赫曼·穆罕默德·阿卜杜拉希（又名西罗）称这一天是“历史性的一天”，并在仪式上表示，这是索马里兰总统首次收到联合国成员国大使颁发的承认其独立的国书。

以色列大使迈克尔·洛特姆表示，以色列的承认是对索马里兰35年来所取得成就的认可，而不仅仅是一种外交形式。

索马里兰已经自治三十多年，但至今仍未得到任何其他联合国成员国的承认。

以色列外交部长吉迪恩·萨尔周日发表声明称，互派大使履行了建交时作出的承诺。

萨尔于 1 月访问了索马里兰，该地区在西罗 6 月访问以色列期间在西耶路撒冷开设了大使馆。

在哈尔格萨举行的仪式上，西罗强调了这种关系的更广泛重要性。

“鉴于我们在红海和亚丁湾周边的战略位置，我们的合作具有重要的区域和国际意义。我重申，索马里兰以真诚的战略承诺和长远的眼光看待这一关系，”他说道。

索马里兰位于亚丁湾对面，与也门隔海相望，靠近曼德海峡，这是红海和印度洋之间重要的航运通道。

最近几周，海峡也门一侧的战斗愈演愈烈。

10 月 9 日，联合国特使汉斯·格伦伯格警告说，也门已恢复全面战争，伊朗支持的胡塞运动与国际公认的也门政府军队之间爆发了战斗。

以色列也承认，这种安全关系早于两国的外交承认。

今年6月西罗访问以色列期间，以色列国防部长以色列·卡茨表示，双方多年来一直在秘密行动方面进行合作，并希望扩大安全关系。

索马里总统哈桑·谢赫·马哈茂德本周在接受天空新闻采访时质疑以色列的动机，称以色列寻求的是进入红海的通道，而不是支持索马里兰的独立。

“以色列想要红海，这是唯一的原因，”他说。

穆罕默德还声称，以色列想在该地区建立一个海军基地。

索马里兰官员曾表示愿意接纳以色列军事基地，但该地区总统最近表示尚未举行任何会谈。

索马里在12月谴责以色列承认索马里兰，称其侵犯了索马里的主权。

以色列的这一举动也遭到了阿拉伯联盟、非洲联盟和伊斯兰合作组织的谴责。