Israeli Foreign Minister mocks Palestine, calls it a "virtual state"

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar mocked the State of Palestine, describing it as a "virtual state," during a press conference with the president of the separatist Somaliland region yesterday, Tuesday.

Israeli websites and accounts published today, Wednesday, the Israeli minister's statements during his visit to the separatist region less than two weeks after Israel recognized the region as an "independent state," which sparked rejecting Arab and international reactions.

Sa'ar said during his speech that "unlike Palestine, Somaliland is not a virtual state. It is an existing and effective state. Somaliland is a fully functioning state, based on the principles of international law," he claimed.

Sa'ar added that "Somaliland is loyal to the West and friendly to Israel."

Sa'ar arrived in the separatist region, which Somalia considers part of its territory, yesterday, Tuesday, and met with the region's president, Abdirahman Irro.

Israel officially recognized the separatist region on December 26th last year as an "independent and sovereign state."

The Israeli decision sparked sharp criticism from the African Union, Egypt, and the European Union, which emphasize the sovereignty of Somalia, which is experiencing war and unrest.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said last week that the separatist "Somaliland" region accepted 3 conditions from Israel: "resettling Palestinians on the region's lands, establishing a military base on the Gulf of Aden, and joining the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel."