President Isaac Herzog met Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, who is visiting Israel. Abdullahi is also expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu according to the President's Office.
At around 18:23, President Isaac Herzog met Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (also referred to as Abdirahman Irro) at the President's Residence in Jerusalem. The President's Office stated that Abdullahi is also expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though no time has been announced for that meeting. Herzog described the encounter as a 'historic moment,' noting the 'great potential' for cooperation between the two nations as they explore closer diplomatic and economic ties.
The visit was first reported by journalist Amit Segal (N12) at 18:23, who initially noted the arrival of the Somaliland leader without disclosing the purpose or schedule. In the same bulletin, our desk reported that the president inaugurated the Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem during his stay. The meeting with President Herzog marks the highest-level bilateral engagement since Israel recognized the breakaway Somali region. The thread also noted that a prior report had, at one stage, referred to the president as Muse Bihi Abdi—an error that was corrected in subsequent updates as the name was clarified to Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro).
Somaliland, a self-declared independent region in the Horn of Africa that is not recognized by the United Nations, has long sought international legitimacy. Israel's decision to recognize Somaliland was part of a broader effort to strengthen ties with African states perceived as stable and strategically located on the Gulf of Aden. As The Zioneer reported earlier, the visit comes amid expanding Israeli diplomatic engagement with non-Arab African nations, though it has been criticized by the Somali federal government in Mogadishu.
It remains unclear whether Prime Minister Netanyahu's expected meeting with Abdullahi will actually take place or when exactly it would occur. The President's Office did not specify the duration of the delegation's stay in Israel or whether additional agreements or memoranda of understanding are to be signed.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake