Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz met with Abdirahman Muhammed Abdullahi, the President of the Somaliland Region, who is on a visit to Israel.
According to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry, Katz said during the meeting:
"We have collaborated on a number of operations that have been kept secret from the public for many years. We are now determined to take our security cooperation to higher levels for the benefit of both peoples and for regional stability."
The ministry stated that the focus of the meeting was "ways to deepen cooperation in security, economics and politics."
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced the opening of a so-called Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem. The Arab League, Egypt and Jordan condemned Somaliland’s opening of an embassy in Jerusalem, saying the move “reinforces the Israeli occupation, violates international law and undermines efforts for a two-state solution.”
Somaliland, which unilaterally declared its separation from Somalia in 1991, is not recognized as an independent state by the international community.
On the other hand, Somalia considers Somaliland an integral part of the country and emphasizes that all international agreements relating to the region are solely under the authority of the Mogadishu government.
