Thousands of people took to the streets and squares of Somaliland after Israel, on Friday, recognized the self-governed East African state as an independent nation. Crowds cheered as a huge Israeli flag was projected on a landmark building in the country’s capital.
On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel was recognizing “the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state,” making the Jewish state the first country to do so.
The celebrations across Somaliland came on the heels of President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting the U.S. would not follow Israel in recognizing the tiny African state.
Establishing diplomatic relations with the country could give Israel a strategic edge in dealing with the Houthis, the Iran-backed terrorists running Yemen.
“Downtown Hargeisa [Somaliland’s capital] late on Friday was illuminated with the Israeli flag as residents of Somaliland’s capital celebrated Jerusalem’s decision to recognize their sovereignty,” Israeli TV channel i24NEWS reported.
Israel’s Ynetnews reported:
Crowds poured into the streets of Hargeisa on Friday night, waving flags, chanting and celebrating Israel’s historic decision to recognize Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a move that marked a diplomatic breakthrough for the self-governing region and sent a strong political signal across the Horn of Africa.Videos circulating from Somaliland’s capital showed hundreds gathering in the city center, some draped in Israeli flags and others waving them from balconies and rooftops. In one clip, the Israeli flag was prominently displayed on a building overlooking a packed street, as music played and celebrants danced late into the night. The scenes reflected a rare public display of enthusiasm for Israel in a Muslim-majority society and underscored the significance of the moment for Somalilanders.Videos circulating from Somaliland’s capital showed hundreds gathering in the city center, some draped in Israeli flags and others waving them from balconies and rooftops. In one clip, the Israeli flag was prominently displayed on a building overlooking a packed street, as music played and celebrants danced late into the night. The scenes reflected a rare public display of enthusiasm for Israel in a Muslim-majority society and underscored the significance of the moment for Somalilanders.
Somaliland, formerly a British protectorate, briefly gained independence in 1960, only to be absorbed by neighbouring Somalia. In 1991, Somaliland broke away from the Communist-led regime of Somalia, resulting in decades-long armed conflict.
The Muslim-majority country, roughly the size of Florida, is strategically located in the Horn of Africa. With its 500 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Adan, the country is of “security importance” to Israel, the Tel Aviv-based think tank, Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), observed in a recent report.
Since October 7, 2023, the Houthis have been disrupting commercial shipping in the Gulf of Adan, one of the world’s busiest waterways. “Somaliland’s coastline and territory lie roughly 300 to 500 kilometers from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, including the port of Hodeidah,” the Israeli think tank notes. “Somaliland’s location—and the possibility of operating from its territory—could be a game changer” in countering the Houthi terror threat.
According to The New York Post, President Donald Trump may not recognize the East African state anytime soon. The country does not hold the same strategic significance for the U.S. as it does for Israel, the president seemed to indicate in an interview with the newspaper. “Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?” President Trump rhetorically asked.
The NY Post reported:
President Trump told The Post that he won’t quickly follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recognizing the independence of Somaliland — saying he has to “study” his longtime Mideast ally’s pitch on behalf of the breakaway republic.(…)“Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?” Trump asked aloud from his golf course in West Palm Beach.Trump sounded unimpressed by the Muslim-majority state offering to join the Abraham Accords — through which Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the UAE established relations with Israel — and equally unimpressed by Somaliland’s offer of land for a US naval base near the mouth of the Red Sea.
‘Angry’ reactions were reported from Somalia and the African Union, a grouping of 55 member states. Turkey, seeking stronger ties with Muslim countries such as Somalia, also condemned the Israeli decision.
French newspaper Le Monde reported Saturday:
Somalia and the African Union reacted angrily Friday, December 26, after Israel formally recognized its northern region of Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state” – the first country to do so. (…)But a Somali foreign ministry statement warned the decision was a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty that would undermine peace in the region. Several other countries also condemned Israel’s decision. The African Union said it “firmly rejects” Israel’s move, warning: “Any attempt to undermine the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia…risks setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent.” Somaliland “remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia”, which is a member of the AU, the pan-African body’s head, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, said.Turkey, a close ally of Somalia, also condemned the move. “This initiative by Israel, which aligns with its expansionist policy…constitutes overt interference in Somalia’s domestic affairs”, it said in a foreign ministry statement. Egypt’s foreign ministry said its top diplomat had spoken with his counterparts from Turkey, Somalia and Djibouti, who together condemned the move and emphasized “full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia”.
The terrorist group Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, threatened to wage war if Israel developed closer ties with Somaliland. The Israeli government, on Friday, had promised to help the East African country in the fields of agriculture, health, and commerce.
The Israeli move was also met with angry protests and some calls for jihad in the streets of Somalia.
The Times of Israel reported:
Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked terror group Al-Shabaab vowed Saturday to fight any attempt by Israel “to claim or use parts of Somaliland” following its recognition of the breakaway territory.“We will not accept it, and we will fight against it,” Al-Shabaab said in a statement.It said Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state showed it “has decided to expand into parts of the Somali territories” to support “the apostate administration in the northwest regions.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY