Somaliland opens of embassy in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi opened on Monday his breakaway country’s embassy in occupied Jerusalem, drawing severe criticism from Islamic countries.In December, Israel became the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia in 1991 following a civil war.Somaliland opened its embassy in Jerusalem on Monday, Israel’s foreign ministry announced, months after Israel became the first country to recognize the breakaway African state’s independence.“Honored to host my dear friend President @Abdirahmanirro at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during his historic State Visit to open Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted on X, during the first-ever state visit of Abdullahi.“I’m proud of the privilege I had to write the first pages in the story of the Israel-Somaliland relationship,” Saar added.Somaliland is the eighth country to open its embassy in Jerusalem, following the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Fiji.Most foreign diplomatic missions to Israel are located in Tel Aviv, as the status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned Somaliland’s opening of an embassy in Jerusalem, and in a statement said “that the measure is illegal and constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and relevant UN resolutions.”“Israel, the occupying power, has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem and that all decisions and measures aimed at altering its political, legal, or demographic status are null and void under international law,” OIC said in its statement.JERUSALEM — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi opened on Monday his breakaway country’s embassy in occupied Jerusalem, drawing severe criticism from Islamic countries.In December, Israel became the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia in 1991 following a civil war.Somaliland opened its embassy in Jerusalem on Monday, Israel’s foreign ministry announced, months after Israel became the first country to recognize the breakaway African state’s independence.“Honored to host my dear friend President @Abdirahmanirro at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during his historic State Visit to open Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar posted on X, during the first-ever state visit of Abdullahi.“I’m proud of the privilege I had to write the first pages in the story of the Israel-Somaliland relationship,” Saar added.Somaliland is the eighth country to open its embassy in Jerusalem, following the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Fiji.Most foreign diplomatic missions to Israel are located in Tel Aviv, as the status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned Somaliland’s opening of an embassy in Jerusalem, and in a statement said “that the measure is illegal and constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and relevant UN resolutions.”“Israel, the occupying power, has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem and that all decisions and measures aimed at altering its political, legal, or demographic status are null and void under international law,” OIC said in its statement.