Tel Aviv: You only have to look at the map to understand the Israeli surprising move. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced last week the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli Foreign Minister, and the President of the Republic of Somaliland signed a joint and mutual declaration.
According to the official statement, the State of Israel plans to immediately expand its relations with the Republic of Somaliland through extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and economy.
Israel on December 26 became the first country in the world to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state, a move that could have strategic implications for the entire strategic Horn of Africa region.
For Somaliland, this is a diplomatic breakthrough after 34 years since it declared independence from Somalia, which quickly condemned the Israeli declaration along with its allies Egypt and Turkey.
Somaliland controls the northwestern tip of Somalia, where it functions as a de facto state, and borders Djibouti to the northwest and Ethiopia to the west and south. It lies on the shores of the Red Sea, beyond which lies Yemen – which gives it great importance for Israel, in light of the control of large parts of the country by the Iranian-backed Houthis.
The security aspect of the relationship also emerged from the official announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office, which mentioned the direct involvement of Mossad chief Dedi Barnea in the talks.
According to various reports in recent months, Somaliland has been mentioned as a destination to which residents of the Gaza Strip would “voluntarily migrate,” although it has since denied this. Israeli sources added that the location of Somaliland is crucial for the security of Israel considering the actions of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, one of Iran’s most active proxies.
Somaliland’s position near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait provides Israel with a forward base for intelligence collection, maritime surveillance, and countering Houthi drones and missiles targeting shipping lanes. Experts compare the new Israeli move to Israel’s alliance with Azerbaijan against Iran, offering operational depth close to Yemen. Potential access to military facilities in Somaliland could support joint exercises and logistics for regional allies like the UAE and US.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
