Liberland Welcomes Israel’s Historic Recognition of the Republic of Somaliland

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Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Free Republic of Liberland

Date: 26 December 2025

Subject: Liberland Welcomes Israel’s Historic Recognition of the Republic of Somaliland

Liberty Island, Liberland / Hargeisa – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Free Republic of Liberland warmly welcomes the historic announcement made today by the State of Israel regarding its official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.

We extend our deepest congratulations to President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, the government, and the people of Somaliland on this monumental diplomatic breakthrough. This development is a triumph for the principles of self-determination, sovereignty, and the undeniable right of a people to chart their own destiny.

Liberland has long understood the legitimacy and potential of Somaliland. We are proud to have been among the early partners of the Republic of Somaliland, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 25 September 2017, in Berbera. That agreement, which established cooperation in the fields of technology, energy, and banking, was built on our shared values of liberty, innovation, and mutual respect for statehood.

Today’s recognition by Israel—a nation that serves as a beacon of innovation and resilience—validates the path that Somaliland has steadfastly walked for over three decades. It affirms that stability, democratic governance, and the rule of law are the true markers of sovereignty, far more than mere historical inertia.

The Free Republic of Liberland views this event as a positive precedent for the international community. It signals a shifting paradigm where the reality of functioning, peaceful, and free states is acknowledged over obsolete political maps. We hope this admirable move by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government will inspire other nations to update their foreign policies to reflect the realities of the 21st century.

We reaffirm our commitment to our ongoing partnership with Somaliland and look forward to deepening our diplomatic and economic ties as Somaliland takes its rightful place on the world stage.

Thomas Walls
Minister of Foreign Affairs

H.E. Vít Jedlička
President

The Free Republic of Liberland

[Blister (Drazen Zulj)]

As a citizen of Liberland who has lived and worked in Baranja, Croatia, since the very beginning of the Liberland project, I feel it is my responsibility to offer a calm, democratic, and reality-based perspective on this statement.

First, I want to clearly state that I support the principles of self-determination, peaceful statehood, and the right of peoples to decide their own future. Somaliland’s internal stability, democratic practices, and long-term de facto independence deserve serious and respectful international discussion.

However, this official statement raises several concerns that Liberland should not ignore if it wishes to be taken seriously as a future state.

1. Neutrality must be more than a slogan

Liberland repeatedly declares its commitment to strict political neutrality. Praising or endorsing the foreign policy decisions of a specific state—especially in highly sensitive geopolitical regions—moves us away from that neutrality.

For a small, unrecognized nation, neutrality is not weakness; it is a strategic necessity.

2. Precision matters in diplomacy

Diplomatic language must be factual, restrained, and verifiable. If recognition has not been formalized through clear legal and diplomatic instruments, presenting it as “historic recognition” risks undermining Liberland’s credibility.

Credibility is far harder to build than to lose.

3. Liberland should avoid global ideological posturing

Liberland’s greatest challenge is not global geopolitics—it is proving that it can function responsibly, transparently, and constructively in its immediate environment.

From Baranja, from Croatia, from the local communities that see Liberland every day, this kind of statement feels disconnected from the real work that still needs to be done on the ground.

4. Diplomacy should be quiet, professional, and humble

Successful diplomacy—especially for emerging or unrecognized entities—is usually invisible. It focuses on building trust, cooperation, and legitimacy step by step, not on symbolic declarations meant to generate headlines.

5. A left-democratic perspective

From a democratic and socially responsible point of view, Liberland should prioritize:

• human dignity over ideology

• cooperation over alignment

• realism over performative politics

Liberty without responsibility is not freedom—it is instability.

Final thought

Liberland has the potential to be an innovative political experiment rooted in freedom, democracy, and respect for people and communities. But this requires professionalism, restraint, and a clear focus on building credibility—not amplifying global conflicts or borrowing legitimacy from others.

If Liberland wants respect, it must first demonstrate seriousness—especially to those of us who live next to it, work around it, and have believed in it for years.