Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi made a secret visit to Israel about two months ago, in October, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mossad chief David Barnea and Defense Minister Israel Katz, Channel 12 reports.
The report comes as Israel becomes the first country to recognize Somaliland, a breakaway of Somalia, as an independent state.
According to the report, the relations initially emerged against the backdrop of discussions on the potential resettlement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Somaliland, an issue that surfaced publicly in August. However, Channel 12 says the relationship later broadened well beyond that topic, developing into what Israeli officials view as strategic cooperation.
From Israel’s perspective, the channel reports, a central motivation for deepening ties is Somaliland’s geographic proximity to Yemen, and by extension to the Iran-backed Houthis, making the relationship particularly significant amid Israel’s ongoing regional security concerns.
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