Jerusalem, December 30, 2025 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing mounting domestic and international criticism following Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland as an independent state and ahead of his high-level talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on Gaza, moves that opposition leaders say lack strategic clarity and political legitimacy.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized Netanyahu on Monday, accusing him of bypassing institutional decision-making in recognizing Somaliland, a self-declared state that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognized. Speaking before the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Lapid said the decision, announced on Friday, was made without approval from the government, security cabinet, or National Security Council. “This was not a government decision. It was a decision of the prime minister’s office,” Lapid said, warning that the move exposed the absence of a coherent Israeli foreign policy.
Netanyahu announced the recognition on December 26 following the signing of a mutual recognition statement with Somaliland, describing the move as consistent with the spirit of the Abraham Accords and pledging expanded cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, technology, and trade. Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland, triggering swift condemnation from Somalia’s federal government, which called the decision a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Regional and international reactions followed quickly. Türkiye, Egypt, and Djibouti warned that the move could destabilize the Horn of Africa, while the African Union reaffirmed its long-standing support for Somalia’s territorial unity. The European Union urged respect for Somalia’s sovereignty and encouraged dialogue, and China criticized the decision, cautioning against support for separatist movements driven by narrow political interests.
Lapid also took aim at Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, arguing that the prime minister was traveling to meet President Trump “without a clear vision for Gaza.” Netanyahu arrived in Florida late Sunday for a five-day visit that began with a preparatory meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump on Monday night to discuss Iran and the Gaza ceasefire agreement, with a focus on advancing to a second phase of the deal.
The proposed second phase includes the formation of a temporary technocratic committee to administer Gaza, reconstruction efforts, the creation of a peace council, the establishment of an international force, further Israeli military withdrawals, and the disarmament of Hamas. Lapid warned that without a defined Israeli plan, other actors—including the United States and Hamas—would shape Gaza’s future.
The ceasefire took effect on October 10, ending nearly two years of war in Gaza that has killed more than 71,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,200 others since October 2023.
