The move, which Somaliland has criticized as an “aggression that will never be tolerated,” has been demanded by Somaliland.
In an interview on Saturday, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, Ali Omar, stated in an interview that the government would use all legal means to challenge what it termed “state aggression” and Israeli interference in the country’s internal affairs.
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The immediate condemnation followed Israel’s declaration to be the first country in the world to officially recognize Somaliland, which sparked furious protests in Arab and African countries, and raised questions about whether the remark was intended as part of an alleged Israeli plot to forcibly displaced Palestinians.
Following a brutal civil war, Somaliland split away from Somalia in 1991, but it has never received recognition from any of the United Nations. Although its eastern territories are still up for debate, the self-declared republic has its own currency, flag, and parliament.
Omar remarked that this will never be tolerated or acceptable for our country’s people who are committed to protecting our territorial integrity. The State of Israel is strongly advised by our government to rescind its conflicting policies and abide by international law.
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, president of Somalia, was making it clear for weeks that an unnamed state would soon grant recognition, even though he had not specified which nation. In recent weeks, billboards had been dotted throughout the capital of Somalia, Hargeisa, to warn residents that recognition was on the way.
Omar claimed that foreign interference and interest were being fueled by the Horn of Africa’s strategic significance. “This region’s significance is not new. He continued, “It is still significant for international trade today.”
Palestinian displacement
Omar claimed that Israel wanted to evict Palestinians from Gaza further by pursuing Somaliland’s recognition. He told Al Jazeera, “One of the motivating factors is the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.” Israel’s position on that matter has been widely known.
The foreign ministry of Palestine supported Somalia, citing Israel’s prior designation of Somaliland as a potential “red line” for forcibly displacing Palestinians from Gaza.
The Israeli move was “not directed against any state, nor does it pose a threat to regional peace,” according to Somaliland’s Cirro on Saturday.
Somalia’s prime minister’s office issued a statement a few hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the recognition on Friday, blaming Israel’s actions as a deliberate violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and as an unlawful step, and highlighting the fact that Somaliland is still a significant and “indissociable” part of Somaliland.
Netanyahu said he would support Somaliland’s cause during his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday, and that the diplomatic arrangement with Somaliland was in keeping with the Abraham Accords. Cirro has also been invited to Israel by Netanyahu, which the latter has accepted.
Trump, however, has distanced himself from close ally Netanyahu on the subject, telling The New York Post he would not act in Israel’s place.
Ayub Ismail Yusuf, the prime minister of Somalia, thanked Trump for his support, saying, “Thank you for your support, Mr. President.”
Trump’s statements marked a change from his earlier statements from August, when he stated at a press conference that his administration was working on the Somaliland problem. The US president has frequently attacked the Somali community in recent weeks.
The US has also expressed frustration with Somalia, claiming at a recent UN Security Council meeting that the country’s government had failed to improve security despite receiving billions of dollars in aid and that it will no longer support a pricey peacekeeping mission.
In addition, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the African Union’s president, objected to any initiative that would allow for the recognition of Somaliland as an independent nation, fearing that it would set a dangerous precedent with repercussions apprehensive. The fundamental principle of the continental bloc was cited as a 1964 decision on the intangibility of borders inherited at a nation’s independence.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the secretary-general of the Arab League, also criticized what he termed an Arab and African state’s provocative assault on Israeli territory. He claimed that the recognition of Israel was a flagrant violation of international law.
Despite the international reactions, thousands of people poured onto Hargeisa’s streets on Friday to mark the diplomatic transition that many saw as close to 30 years. Residents of the country applauded the breakthrough, and the Israeli flag was emblazoned on the national museum.
Israel’s prior diplomatic ties to Somalia’s regional rival Ethiopia have contributed to the country’s historically contentious relations with it.
Israel provided military training, weapons, and intelligence to Ethiopia during the Cold War, while Somalia, a country that had ties to Arab nations, was defeated in the Ogaden War in 1977, a setback that contributed to decades of civil unrest.
Following years of persecution under former leader Mohammed Siad Barre, Somalia officially renounced its relationship with Somalia in 1991.
Israeli deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel revealed earlier this month that the government of Somalia and the Israeli government had spoken about their shared concerns about Houthi influence in the area.
Source: Aljazeera
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