The United States defended Israel's decision to recognize Somaliland as an independent state during an emergency United Nations Security Council session on December 30, 2025, equating it to the recognition of a Palestinian state by various nations. Deputy US Ambassador Tammy Bruce asserted that Israel possesses the sovereign right to establish diplomatic relations, highlighting perceived inconsistencies in international responses.

Bruce criticized the absence of outrage when several Security Council members unilaterally recognized Palestine earlier in the year, accusing the body of applying double standards. Despite this stance, she clarified that US policy remains unchanged, with President Donald Trump opposing the recognition of Somaliland.

Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Zbogar, representing a nation that has recognized Palestine, rejected the comparison, arguing that Palestine constitutes illegally occupied territory per the International Court of Justice, whereas Somaliland forms part of Somalia, a UN member state. Somali Ambassador Abukar Osman denounced the move as an aggressive act intended to fragment Somalia's territory, urging the UN to reject it outright.

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Several delegations, including the United Kingdom's Ambassador James Kariuki, reaffirmed commitment to Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity without explicitly naming Israel. Israeli representative Jonathan Miller described the recognition as a non-hostile initiative aimed at fostering regional stability and opening avenues for dialogue.

Somaliland, situated in the Horn of Africa across from Yemen, proclaimed independence from Somalia in 1991 but has lacked international acknowledgment until Israel's announcement. The development has elicited condemnation from the African Union, Egypt, and the European Union, underscoring tensions over Somalia's unity.

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