Cairo – (SONNA) — The Arab League has strongly condemned the visit by Israel’s Foreign Minister to Hargeisa, in northern Somalia, on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
In a statement, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit described the visit as a failed attempt to legitimize Israel’s move toward recognizing the secession of northwestern Somalia, a step that falls outside the framework of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Aboul Gheit reaffirmed the Arab League’s clear and consistent position rejecting any form of official or quasi-official relations with separatist entities operating beyond the authority of the Somali Federal Government. He stressed that such actions constitute a blatant violation of Somalia’s unity and sovereignty, pose a serious threat to regional peace and security, and risk further fueling political tensions in Somalia, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Horn of Africa.
The Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Gamal Rashidi, noted that the move has been rejected and condemned at both Arab and international levels. He recalled that the Arab League Council, during its meeting on December 28, 2025, declared such actions null, void, and unacceptable.
Rashidi also expressed concern over alleged attempts to facilitate plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian population, as well as the possible use of Somali ports for the establishment of foreign military bases.
The Arab League reaffirmed its commitment to continuing political and technical support for Somali state institutions to counter any attempts to create new zones of conflict that could undermine the country’s unity and stability, or threaten the strategic security of Arab maritime waterways.
