ISLAMABAD: Pakistan among more than a dozen countries on Sunday condemned a move by Somaliland to open its embassy in “occupied Jerusalem,” reiterating their support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia.
Somaliland broke away from Somalia unilaterally in 1991 as a civil war raged in the country, but was not diplomatically recognized by any United Nations (UN) member state. The region has its own constitution, parliament and currency, a move that has infuriated Somalia over the years as it insists the region is part of its territory.
In Dec., Israel recognized Somaliland as an “independent, sovereign state,” raising fears among Muslim countries the move could be part of Tel Aviv’s plan to forcibly relocate Palestinian Muslims to Somaliland after several international news outlets reported that Israel had contacted Somaliland for the potential resettlement of Palestinians forcibly removed from Gaza.
In their joint statement issued on Sunday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, Indonesia, Djibouti, Somalia, Palestine, Oman, Sudan and Yemen condemned the “illegal and unacceptable step taken by the so-called ‘Somaliland’ region in opening a purported ‘embassy’ in occupied Jerusalem.”
“This constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and relevant international resolutions, and represents a direct infringement on the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem,” the statement said.
It came more than a month after Israel appointed its diplomatic representative to Somaliland. A year earlier, Israel and the United States had reached out to East African states, including Somaliland, to take in Palestinians from Gaza, according to international media reports.
The outreach came amid Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian enclave, widely described as a “genocide,” amid mounting criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Somalia also rejected Israel’s position, while the African Union has consistently opposed unilateral recognition of secessionist regions on the continent.
In their joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan and other Muslim nations reaffirmed their rejection of any unilateral measures aimed at “entrenching an illegal reality in occupied Jerusalem” or conferring legitimacy on any entities or arrangements that contravene international law and relevant UN resolutions.
“They reiterate that East Jerusalem has been occupied Palestinian territory since 1967, and that any measures intended to alter its legal and historical status are null and void and without legal effect,” it read.
“The Ministers further emphasize their full support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and their unequivocal rejection of any unilateral measures that undermine the unity of Somali territory or infringe upon its sovereignty.”
