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SvennoJ on 01 January 2026
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Netanyahu attends Trump’s New Year’s bash at Mar-a-Lago

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the US for his fifth meeting with President Donald Trump in under a year, has been seen in a video attending a lavish New Year’s Eve party at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Other party attendees included Trump’s sons Eric and Don Jr, Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, and top members of Trump’s administration, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino.

In their meeting on Monday, Trump and Netanyahu downplayed reports of tensions and heaped praise on each other. Trump called Netanyahu, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, a wartime “hero” and said he is “not concerned about anything that Israel’s doing”.


Somaliland president to visit Israel, join Abraham Accords: Report

Israel’s public broadcaster reports that Somaliland President Abdirahman Cirro will visit Israel soon, though no date has been specified, and that he will join the Abraham Accords – a set of deals brokered by the United States to establish formal ties with Israel.

Israel recognised Somaliland last week, becoming the first UN member state to do so and ending more than 30 years of diplomatic isolation for the self-declared republic in northern Somalia.

The move has prompted an international backlash, with Somalia mobilising diplomatic support in response.

During a video call announcing the decision last week, Somaliland’s president accepted an invitation from the Israeli prime minister to visit Jerusalem.


Somaliland denies allegations of agreeing to host Israeli bases, forcibly displaced Palestinians for recognition

Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement, rejecting allegations by Somalia’s president that the breakaway region has agreed to host Israeli military bases and forcibly displaced Palestinians from Gaza in exchange for recognition by Israel.

In a post on X, Somaliland said its engagement with Israel was “purely diplomatic” and conducted “in full respect of international law”.

Israel and Somaliland announced mutual recognition last week, prompting widespread speculation about the terms of the agreement.

Somalia’s president told Al Jazeera that Somaliland had agreed to three conditions: the resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of an Israeli military base on the Gulf of Aden coast, and Somaliland’s accession to the Abraham Accords to normalise ties with Israel.

The final condition – joining the Abraham Accords – has been confirmed by Israel’s prime minister. However, the first two claims have not been publicly acknowledged by either Somaliland or Israeli officials.

Somaliland said the claims were baseless and intended to mislead the international community.

Sure, it just happens to be that 'Somaliland' is on the Gulf of Aden (which leads to Israel) right across from the Houthis in Yemen.