Israel becomes first country to recognize Somaliland

Israel on Friday became the first country to recognize Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia in East Africa.

While signing a document confirming the move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the country's president on the phone.

Netanyahu called the friendship between the two states "seminal and historic" and spoke about expanding the partnership "on economic fields, on agriculture, in the fields of social development."

It wasn't known why Israel made the declaration now or whether it was expecting something in return.

Earlier this year, U.S. and Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Israel had approached Somaliland about taking in Palestinians from Gaza as part of Donald Trump’s plan at the time to resettle that territory’s population. The U.S. has since abandoned that plan.

Somaliland, a territory of more than 3 million people in the Horn of Africa, seceded from Somalia more than three decades ago, but it hadn't internationally been recognized as an independent state by any country.

The foreign ministry of Egypt — a major mediator in the Israel-Hamas war — said on social media that it rejects Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and stressed full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.