Katz made the remarks during a meeting in Jerusalem with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, who arrived Sunday on the first official visit of its kind, extended indefinitely beyond the planned two days. Katz stated: “Israel and Somaliland have a long-standing friendship based on shared interests. We have cooperated for many years in undisclosed operations that will remain secret. Now we are determined to raise our security cooperation to new levels for the benefit of both peoples and regional stability.”

He claimed Israel and Somaliland are democracies committed to combating terrorism and enhancing regional security. Senior Israeli defense officials attended the meeting alongside Somaliland’s defense minister, presidential affairs minister, army chief, and intelligence deputy. Abdullahi also met President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, signing a memorandum of understanding and inaugurating a Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Sa’ar disclosed Abdullahi had secretly visited Israel in October 2025, maintaining direct contact even before formal recognition.

Israel officially recognized Somaliland in December 2025, a move rejected by Somalia’s federal government and widely criticized regionally and internationally. Since declaring independence in 1991, Somaliland had not received formal recognition. The step raised warnings that Israel might consider relocating Palestinians from Gaza to the region, home to 2.4 million people, a scenario firmly rejected by Egypt, Jordan, and other regional states.