From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Sa’ar arrives in Somaliland for meeting with president, in 1st visit since Israeli recognition
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Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has arrived in Somaliland on the first formal visit by an Israeli official since Jerusalem recognized the republic as an independent state, a senior Hargeisa official says.
According to Somaliland’s Information Ministry, Sa’ar was received by senior Somaliland officials at the airport.
Sa’ar will meet with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi later today.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry does not respond to requests for comment.
Last month, Israel became the first UN member state to recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent state.
The move drew outrage from Somalia as well as many Middle Eastern and African countries, and a rebuke from the EU.
Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 and had fruitlessly sought global validation until Israel’s announcement of official recognition.
Located in the Horn of Africa, the northern region of Somaliland is across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where the Houthis hold territory, making it strategically valuable.
Israel Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Somaliland, the first senior Israeli official to visit the country since Israel’s recognition. https://t.co/OsiXC9HvqV pic.twitter.com/pJ5id41Jdp
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 6, 2026
Lazar Berman contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.