Israel has appointed its first ambassador to Somaliland, a move sharply condemned by Somalia. According to Israel's public broadcaster, Michael Lotem, who previously served as Israel's ambassador to Kenya, has been appointed as ambassador to Somaliland. This step further solidifies a partnership that has accelerated rapidly since December, when Israel became the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, ending over 30 years of diplomatic isolation for the breakaway region.

Somaliland's President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi told a joint session of parliament on Tuesday that Israel had proven itself a "reliable partner," drawing lawmakers to their feet in applause. However, Somalia's foreign ministry released a statement condemning Israel's decision to appoint an ambassador, describing it as a "direct breach" of the country's sovereignty and unity. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following a devastating civil war, but Somalia has never recognized it.

Israel's recognition of Somaliland has drawn wide condemnation from the UN Security Council, the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the European Union. Since Israel's announcement in December, both sides have moved swiftly to develop the relationship: Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Somaliland's capital, Hargeisa, in January, and Somaliland subsequently sent a delegation from its water ministry to Israel for training in water management.

Somali officials have been angered by the growing ties, with the country's president earlier this year calling it the "gravest attack" on the country's sovereignty and accusing Israel of seeking to establish a military base to launch attacks against Yemen. Somaliland lies across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthi movement controls the country's northwest; the group is hostile to Israel and began firing missiles in late March in response to Israeli strikes on Iran. The Houthis have said they would consider an Israeli presence in Somaliland a legitimate target.

Somaliland's Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, told Bloomberg in March that it would pursue a "strategic relationship" with Israel encompassing security cooperation. Abdi refused to rule out the prospect of an Israeli military base in the country and said it "will be analyzed at some point." Somalia's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Omar, told Al Jazeera that his country did not want to see its territory "pulled into external confrontations or used in ways that could further destabilize an already sensitive region."

Source: www.aljazeera.com