Somalia condemns Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as ‘naked invasion’

The recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland by Israel as a “naked invasion” is a condemnation from the country’s president, who warns that it could lead to separatist movements elsewhere.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud referred to Israel as an “enemy” during a joint session of parliament for emergency purposes on Sunday, addressing the country’s “greatest abuse” of its sovereignty.

Existential threat

Netanyahu declared on Friday that Israel had resumed diplomatic relations with Somaliland and that the action was in line with the United States-brokered Abraham Accords, which had normalized relations between Israel and a number of Arab nations.

Israel became the first UN member state to formally recognize the self-declared state, which has been attempting to do so for more than three decades without success.

Mohamud accused Netanyahu of trying to bring Middle Eastern conflicts into Somalia and promised that it would not permit the use of its territory as a military base to attack other countries.

He urged Somalis to put “tribal and regional rivalries” aside in order to confront what he described as an “existential threat” to the country’s unity.

The president urged Somaliland’s leaders to engage in meaningful negotiations to protect Somalia’s territorial integrity, saying, “We need to combine our wisdom and strengths to defend our existence and sovereignty.”

Hamza Barre, the prime minister of Somalia, told Al Jazeera Arabic that Israel was “searching for a foothold in the Horn of Africa” and that it should accept and recognize a Palestinian state instead.

Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, president of Somaliland, defended the Israeli decision, saying that the recognition of Somaliland “is not a threat, not an act of hostility” toward its neighbors.

He claimed that no Islamic nation or community is affiliated with his country because it is “deeply rooted in Islamic values of moderation, justice, and coexistence.”

The Israeli decision, in turn, sparked a global backlash right away. &nbsp,

21 Arab and African nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the recognition as a grave violation of international law and the UN Charter in a joint statement released on Saturday.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs endorsed Somalia in a statement.

To reaffirm their support for Somalia’s territorial integrity, regional leaders, including the presidents of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Djibouti, made phone calls with Mohamud. Similar to the Taiwan problem, Eritrea also called on China to act separately at the UN Security Council.

The Israeli decision was not condemned, though the European Union made a statement in which it urged the respect for Somalia’s sovereignty. It urged dialogue between Mogadishu and Hargeisa’s authorities.

More than 70, 000 Palestinians have been killed in the more than two-year genocidal war in Gaza, which Israel has fought to recognize.

Netanyahu is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and Israel is currently the subject of an international court of justice investigation.

Following a civil war led by military juntor Siad Barre, Somaliland dissolved from Somalia in 1991. Northwestern Somalia is under the control of the self-declared republic, which has its own constitution, currency, and flag. It claims the former British protectorate of Somaliland, but its easternmost regions are still under the control of Somalia-religious rival governments.

US President Donald Trump responded to the New York Post on Friday by saying that he would not recognize Somaliland, but that the issue was still being looked into. Does anyone actually know what Somaliland is? Trump posed a question.

Source: Aljazeera

Somalia condemns Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as ‘naked invasion’