JERUSALEM (SD) – The Government of Israel has announced that its agreements with Somaliland do not include any component related to the resettlement of people from Gaza to Somaliland.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, in an exclusive interview with Israel’s Channel 14, was directly asked about relocating Gazans to Somaliland and stated that this matter has no basis in fact.

“There is no agreement between Israel and Somaliland concerning the transfer of Gazans to Somaliland,” the minister stated.

He added that the agreements between Israel and Somaliland focus on political matters, security, and general cooperation between the two sides.

Several Arab states and the Government of Somalia have accused Israel of having hidden agendas behind its recognition of Somaliland, including the alleged plan to resettle the Palestinian population living in Gaza to territory under Somaliland’s administration.

Somaliland has recently distanced itself from this allegation, despite Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud claiming this clause was part of the three-point agreement reached between Israel and Somaliland.

President Hassan Sheikh’s claim about a three-point agreement, now flatly contradicted by Israel, creates a serious credibility problem. It raises questions about the source and reliability of his intelligence. Was it a deliberate misinformation campaign for strategic effect, or a case of being misinformed? This episode weakens his position in future diplomatic arguments, as adversaries may dismiss his claims as unsubstantiated.

Israel’s denial pulls the rug out from under one of Somalia’s most effective rhetorical attacks. It forces the diplomatic confrontation onto more conventional grounds of sovereignty and international law, where Israel and Somaliland are prepared to argue their case.

The episode reveals that in this high-stakes dispute, truth is the first casualty, and the real battle is for control of the narrative that will ultimately determine whether the recognition gains traction or is successfully isolated. The next step is observing whether Somalia produces purported documentary evidence or adjusts its diplomatic strategy in light of this rebuttal.