The Israeli Channel 14 reported that the Israeli occupation state’s recognition of the Republic of Somaliland came in exchange for absorbing the population of Gaza.
The channel indicated that the announcement, drafted in the style of the Abraham Accords, included the establishment of full diplomatic relations and strategic cooperation across various fields, noting that “Somaliland will take in Gaza’s population in return for this recognition”.
The office of Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland, describing the move as historic.
Netanyahu, Israeli occupation Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and the President of the Republic of Somaliland Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi signed a joint statement in which Netanyahu congratulated President Abdullahi and invited him to undertake the first official visit of its kind to the occupied territories.
Sa’ar, who spoke with President Abdullahi, confirmed that relations between the two sides had been consolidated over the past year through ongoing dialogue. He added, “Today we signed an agreement of mutual recognition and the establishment of full diplomatic relations, including the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies”, stressing that he had instructed his office to begin immediate communication.
For his part, Abdullahi described the announcement as “historic”, expressing his thanks to Foreign Minister Sa’ar, Mossad Director David Barnea, and the Mossad “for their contribution to this development”. He noted that cooperation between the two sides would begin in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and the economy.
The channel explained that the occupation government intends, alongside security and political coordination, to immediately expand cooperation with Somaliland in key civilian sectors. These include agriculture and technology through the transfer of Israeli expertise and the development of joint projects, in addition to strengthening healthcare systems and expanding trade between the two sides.
In the 1990s, the northern part of Somalia, which had previously been under British colonial rule, unilaterally declared independence, leading to the formation of the Republic of Somaliland. The entity did not receive recognition from any state or international organisation, until the occupation state moved to recognise it in exchange for Somaliland’s engagement in normalisation.
It is noteworthy that the United Arab Emirates, which is linked to a normalisation agreement with the Israeli occupation state, has since 2017 operated a military base at the airport of the city of Berbera in Somaliland, and has been allowed to remain there for a period of thirty years. Berbera is located less than 300 kilometres south of Yemen.
The relationship between the UAE and the Israeli occupation state, and the signing of a normalisation agreement between them in 2020, raises questions regarding the Emirati role in the new arrangement between Israel and Somaliland, given the close ties between the latter and Abu Dhabi.
The Somali government rejects recognition of the Somaliland region as an independent state, considers it an integral part of the territory of the Republic of Somalia, and views any deal or direct engagement with it as an infringement on the country’s sovereignty and unity.
