Widespread Condemnation: 15 Arab and Islamic Countries Reject 'Somaliland' Embassy Opening in Jerusalem

Fifteen Arab and Islamic countries have expressed their categorical and unified rejection of the separatist 'Somaliland' region's intention to open a representative office, acting as an embassy, with the Israeli occupation authorities in the occupied city of Jerusalem. In a joint statement, these countries considered this move a blatant departure from international consensus and a challenge to United Nations resolutions concerning the legal status of the Holy City.

The list of countries that signed the statement included Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Djibouti, Somalia, Palestine, Oman, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, in addition to Mauritania, which later joined the list. These countries affirmed that the move led by the separatist region lacks any legal or political legitimacy given its lack of international recognition.

Sources reported that the foreign ministers of the 15 countries condemned in the strongest terms this 'alleged' step, pointing out that it directly affects the historical rights of the Palestinian people. The statement emphasized that any attempts to grant legitimacy to unrecognized entities through the gateway of occupied Jerusalem are doomed to fail and will not change the reality of the city.

The ministers affirmed in their statement that East Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory according to the 1967 borders, and no entity has the right to change its character or legal status. They clarified that all unilateral measures taken by the occupation authorities or any other parties to establish a new reality in the city are null and void and have no binding legal effect.

The statement was not limited to the issue of Jerusalem; the 15 countries reiterated their full and absolute support for the unity and sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia over all its national territory. The signatories rejected any unilateral measures that would undermine Somalia's sovereignty or threaten its territorial integrity, in a clear reference to rejecting the region's separatist moves.

The 'Somaliland' region had announced on May 19 its intention to establish an embassy in occupied Jerusalem, a step that was immediately welcomed by the occupation government. Mohamed Haji, who presents himself as the region's ambassador to Israel, stated that this step comes within the framework of strengthening mutual strategic cooperation between the two parties, which sparked widespread anger in Arab and Islamic circles.

It is worth noting that the Israeli occupation authorities had announced their official recognition of the 'Somaliland' region as an independent state in December 2025, a move observers considered an attempt to destabilize the Horn of Africa region. This recognition was met with strong rejection at the time by the Somali government in Mogadishu, which considers the region an integral part of its territory.

The 'Somaliland' region has operated as an administratively and security-independent entity since its unilateral declaration of secession in 1991, but it has not received any official international recognition throughout the past decades. Its recent attempts to approach Israel and open an embassy in Jerusalem are part of its efforts to gain diplomatic recognition in exchange for compromising on the constants related to the Palestinian issue.

The Islamic and Arab countries warned of the repercussions of this step on security and stability in the region, stressing that adherence to international law is the only way to resolve disputes. The statement called on the international community to confront these transgressions aimed at undermining the two-state solution and circumventing international legitimacy resolutions that guarantee the rights of Palestinians in their capital, Jerusalem.

In conclusion, the signatory countries emphasized the necessity of respecting the sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs, considering that alliances built at the expense of peoples' rights and national sovereignty will only lead to further tension. Sources confirmed that coordination will continue between these countries to confront any similar moves that may aim to undermine the historical status of Jerusalem or the unity of Somali territories.

Opening an embassy for the internationally unrecognized region is an illegal step that represents a blatant violation of international law and international legitimacy resolutions.