Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on social media platform X that he hosted President Abdullahi during a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for what he described as a “historic State Visit” to inaugurate Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem. He added that the move marked the beginning of formal bilateral relations between the two sides.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also met the Somaliland leader during the visit, with both leaders appearing together in Jerusalem, according to images and official accounts from the meeting.

Somaliland, which declared autonomy from Somalia in 1991 following a civil war but is not widely recognized internationally, becomes the eighth country to open an embassy in Jerusalem, joining a list that includes the United States and several smaller states.

The opening has drawn strong criticism from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which said the move violated international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. The OIC reiterated its position that Israel has no sovereignty over Jerusalem and that attempts to alter the city’s legal or political status are considered null and void.

Jerusalem remains one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with most countries maintaining embassies in Tel Aviv due to disputed claims over the city.

Israel formally recognised Somaliland’s independence in December, according to the report, further deepening ties between the two sides ahead of the embassy opening.

Carney conveyed the message during a conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, while also expressing concern over conditions in Gaza, which his office described as “catastrophic.”

The Canadian leader reiterated Ottawa’s opposition to Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, violence by settlers, and attacks against Palestinian civilians, underscoring growing tensions between Canada and Israel over the conduct of the Gaza conflict and related humanitarian issues.

The latest intervention follows allegations by organizers of an international aid flotilla that activists detained by Israeli authorities after attempting to deliver assistance to Gaza were subjected to mistreatment while in custody. Organizers said several detainees required hospitalization for injuries and alleged that at least 15 activists reported sexual assaults, including rape.

Israel’s prison service has denied the allegations.
While Carney had already criticized Israel’s handling of the flotilla incident last week, Monday’s statement represented a broader condemnation and reflected the increasingly strained nature of bilateral relations.
The Israeli embassy in Ottawa did not immediately comment on Carney’s latest remarks.

Separately, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said she spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and informed him that Canada would provide evidence related to the alleged mistreatment of Canadian citizens detained during the operation.

Anand said she raised concerns over what Ottawa viewed as a denial of consular access to detained Canadians, arguing that such actions violated obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

“I raised that denying Canadian citizens access to consular services while they were detained violates the Vienna Convention and must never happen again,” Anand said in a statement posted on social media.
Saar rejected the criticism and said he had told Anand that participants in the flotilla had been motivated by support for Hamas. He also raised concerns about what he described as a rise in antisemitic incidents in Canada and called on Canadian authorities to take stronger action against antisemitic violence and incitement.

The dispute has added to mounting diplomatic friction between the two countries. Israel’s ambassador to Canada recently told Canadian media that bilateral government-to-government relations had deteriorated to their lowest point on record.
The episode highlights widening differences between Israel and several traditional Western partners over the conduct of the Gaza war, humanitarian access to the territory and the treatment of foreign nationals involved in aid initiatives linked to the conflict.