An Israeli delegation visiting Somaliland for the country’s Independence Day celebrations witnessed growing public support for Israel and expanding security cooperation between the two governments near the strategic Red Sea corridor
HARGEISA — The deepening relationship between Israel and Somaliland is becoming increasingly visible on the ground, as an Israeli delegation visiting the Horn of Africa nation for its Independence Day celebrations described growing public warmth toward Israel and expanding strategic cooperation between the two sides.
The visit, led by activist Rabbi Yosef Germon and joined by several Israeli participants, took place at the invitation of Somaliland’s government during celebrations marking the country’s 35th Independence Day.
For the delegation, the reception in Somaliland reflected what participants described as an emerging partnership that extends beyond diplomatic symbolism and into security, regional strategy and long-term geopolitical alignment.
“From the first moment, it was clear that something significant was happening,” Israeli journalist Ahikam Himelfarb reported during the visit for Israel’s Channel 14 broadcaster.
The delegation arrived in Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital, where officials hosted them during a series of public ceremonies and state events. At the center of the celebrations was a large Independence Day parade featuring Somaliland’s military, police, naval and emergency response forces.
Senior Somaliland officials, including President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, attended the ceremony, underscoring the importance Somaliland’s leadership places on its emerging relationship with Israel.
During the parade, Somaliland Army Chief of Staff Nimchan Osman delivered a public message directed at both countries.
“I would like to say to all the residents of Somaliland and the residents of Israel, Happy Independence Day,” Osman said.
The growing ties come as Somaliland intensifies efforts to secure broader international recognition after restoring independence in 1991 following years of conflict and mass atrocities committed under the former regime in Somalia.
With a population estimated at approximately six million people, Somaliland occupies a strategically critical location along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints and a region increasingly shaped by tensions involving Yemen’s Houthi movement and broader Red Sea security concerns.
Israel’s reported recognition of Somaliland last December significantly elevated relations between the two governments and positioned Israel as one of Somaliland’s most prominent international partners.
That diplomatic support has translated into unusually visible public displays of solidarity. Members of the Israeli delegation described seeing Israeli flags openly displayed in a Muslim-majority society — a rare sight in the region.
Officials and residents repeatedly emphasized what they described as mutual respect and shared strategic interests between the two sides.
During an official dinner hosted by President Abdullahi to commemorate Somaliland’s independence celebrations, delegation member Avi Gold presented the president with a mezuzah reportedly crafted from fragments linked to an interception by Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.
The symbolic gift reflected the increasingly visible security dimension of the relationship.
Jama Gabush, a senior adviser to the Somaliland president and a key figure in the country’s diplomatic outreach, confirmed that cooperation between Somaliland and Israel extends beyond public diplomacy.
“In the security context, there is also cooperation, and this is also very important,” Gabush said. “It is not something that receives a lot of publicity or public resonance, but it exists as a partnership based on shared interests and mutual benefit.”
The visit also highlighted the complex security environment surrounding Somaliland and the broader Red Sea region.
Members of the Israeli delegation said they encountered isolated hostility during their stay, including verbal confrontations involving a Yemeni migrant in Hargeisa. In another incident, passersby shouted greetings from a moving vehicle as security escorts monitored the delegation’s movements.
Still, participants described the overall atmosphere as overwhelmingly welcoming and politically significant.
Analysts increasingly view Somaliland as an emerging strategic hub at the intersection of Africa, the Middle East and critical international shipping lanes. Its location near Yemen and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has drawn growing attention from Israel, Gulf states, the United States and other global powers seeking influence along the Red Sea corridor.
For Somaliland, closer relations with Israel could strengthen its long-running campaign for international recognition and attract additional investment and security partnerships.
For Israel, the relationship offers a rare diplomatic and strategic foothold in a Muslim-majority territory situated at one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical crossroads.
Standing against the backdrop of Somaliland’s vast plains and Red Sea trade routes, members of the delegation described the relationship as one that could reshape regional alignments in the years ahead.
