Somalia’s Defence Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has accused Israel of planning to forcibly relocate Palestinians to the breakaway region of Somaliland, calling the alleged plan a serious violation of international law.
Speaking to Al Jazeera on Saturday, Fiqi said Somalia had what he described as confirmed information that Israel intended to transfer Palestinians to Somaliland. Somali officials have previously raised similar concerns, though both Israel and Somaliland have repeatedly denied the claims.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but is not recognised by the United Nations. In December, Israel became the first country to formally recognise it as an independent state.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, rejected the allegations last week, saying any agreement with Somaliland does not include the displacement of Palestinians.
He said cooperation would focus on politics, security and development.
Neither Israel nor Somaliland has released details of their agreement. A Somaliland government source also denied that relocating Palestinians was part of the deal.
