'Israel' Pushes into Horn of Africa with Somaliland Visit

By Al Mayadeen English

6 Jan 2026 15:17

Tel Aviv’s recognition of Somaliland draws regional backlash as officials discuss political, economic, and security cooperation in a strategically sensitive area near the Gulf of Aden.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia, on Tuesday, Reuters reported, citing two sources. The visit comes 10 days after "Israel" formally recognised the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an "independent state".

A senior Somaliland official said Saar would meet President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi to discuss ways to enhance bilateral ties. A second source confirmed the minister’s presence in Somaliland. 

Once a British protectorate, Somaliland has long sought formal recognition, signing various bilateral agreements with foreign governments on investments and security. It lies in northwestern Somalia along the strategic Gulf of Aden and shares borders with Ethiopia and Djibouti.

"Israel’s" recognition follows two years of increasingly strained relations with some allies over its genocide in Gaza and escalating aggression in the occupied West Bank.

From Gaza to Berbera: Why 'Israel' is courting Somaliland

After more than three decades of seeking international recognition, Somaliland has secured its first formal endorsement of statehood from the Israeli entity, a move that has sparked sharp opposition across Africa and the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on December 26, 2025, that "Israel" would recognize Somaliland as an "independent state", 35 years after the region declared independence from Somalia. Netanyahu framed the decision as consistent with the “spirit” of the US-brokered "Abraham Accords", which normalized relations between the Israeli occupation and several Arab states in 2020.

The move appeared to catch Washington off guard. The US State Department reiterated that it continues to recognize Somalia’s territorial integrity, including Somaliland. US President Donald Trump, when asked whether the United States would follow the Israeli entity's lead, appeared sceptical, saying the issue was “under study” and questioning Somaliland’s international profile.

At the time, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi welcomed the decision, saying Hargeisa would join the "Abraham Accords" and describing the step as a contribution to regional and global peace.

African, Arab states warn of dangerous precedent

Regional reaction was swift and hostile. The African Union warned that recognizing Somaliland undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and risks setting a dangerous precedent for other separatist regions. More than 20 Arab, Muslim, and African states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey, issued a joint statement warning of “serious repercussions” from the unprecedented move.

Arab and Muslim states have voiced particular concern that the decision reflects a more assertive regional posture by Netanyahu’s far-right government following Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and that it could give the Israeli occupation a strategic foothold along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Analysts say Somaliland could, in return for recognition, allow an Israeli military presence that would bolster operations against Yemen’s Ansar Allah, which has targeted Israeli-linked shipping and territory.

Israeli analysts have linked the recognition directly to regional security calculations. Asher Lubotzky of the Israeli-African Relations Institute said the move was driven by the Israeli occupation's need to expand intelligence and operational reach in the Horn of Africa, particularly after attacks by Ansar Allah.

Concerns over post-Gaza regional assertiveness

At the same time, Arab states fear the move could be tied to Israeli efforts to persuade African countries to accept Palestinians forcibly displaced from Gaza, a prospect they have firmly rejected. Somaliland has denied holding talks on resettling Palestinians.

The Horn of Africa has become an increasingly contested geopolitical arena. Turkey maintains its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, while the UAE operates a base at Berbera port in Somaliland, which is run by DP World. Ethiopia has also explored recognizing Somaliland in exchange for long-term access to Berbera, though it has not taken that step.

While Somaliland has long portrayed itself as a stable alternative to conflict-ridden southern Somalia, analysts warn that the Israeli recognition could carry risks. 

Why is 'Israel' eyeing Somaliland?

The Israeli occupation officially recognized the Republic of Somaliland as an "independent" and "sovereign" state, following the signing of a joint declaration between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdallah.

Somaliland hosts a major Emirati military presence at Berbera, developed by the UAE as part of its broader regional footprint stretching from the Horn of Africa to the southern Red Sea. The base has played a central role in Abu Dhabi’s efforts to project power across maritime chokepoints and to support operations linked to Yemen, including attempts to restrict the operational depth of Ansar Allah and limit Saudi Arabia’s exposure along critical shipping lanes, which greatly benefits the Israeli occupation.

US military planners have also long viewed Somaliland as a strategic fallback and logistics hub near the Bab al-Mandab strait. Israeli security officials, meanwhile, have reportedly sought access and intelligence cooperation in the area as part of a wider push to monitor Red Sea traffic and Resistance-aligned movements operating across Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

The recognition of Somaliland aligns with this emerging security architecture, effectively granting political cover to an already entrenched military and intelligence reality. By formalizing relations, the Israeli entity positions itself alongside Washington and Abu Dhabi in shaping Red Sea security arrangements that aim to control maritime routes and reinforce a regional bloc extending from occupied Palestine to East Africa.