What's Going On with Israel and Somaliland?

On December 26, 2025, the State of Israel formally recognized the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. The decision marks a historic turning point in Israel’s foreign policy and in the strategic balance of the Horn of Africa. Israel became the first UN member state to grant full diplomatic recognition to an entity that has functioned de facto as a state since its unilateral declaration of independence from Somalia in 1991.

The move, signed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Somaliland’s President Abd al-Rahman Mohamed Abdullahi (known as “Irro”), includes the establishment of full diplomatic relations, the exchange of ambassadors, and the opening of embassies.

The timing is significant. Coming after two years of intense fighting during the Iron Swords War and amid ongoing threats to Red Sea shipping lanes by Yemen’s Houthis, the decision reflects a notable shift in Israel’s national security doctrine and an effort to build new strategic depth along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Historical and Legal Background: From British Protectorate to De Facto Independence

Understanding Israel’s motivation requires a closer look at Somaliland’s distinct historical trajectory, which sets it apart from the Federal Republic of Somalia. While southern Somalia was under Italian colonial rule, Somaliland was a British protectorate. On June 26, 1960, it gained full independence from the British Crown and was recognized by 35 states, including Israel and the United States.

This independence lasted only five days. Somaliland then voluntarily united with former Italian Somalia to form the Somali Republic. That union effectively collapsed in the late 1980s under the brutal regime of Siad Barre, whose forces committed grave crimes against the northern population. The ensuing civil war led Somaliland to renew its declaration of independence on May 18, 1991.

Over the past three decades, Somaliland has built functioning state institutions, including a multi-party democratic system, an independent currency, its own passport, an organized army, and a police force that has ensured a high degree of internal stability. This stands in stark contrast to southern Somalia, which has been plagued by clan warfare, piracy, and the entrenched presence of the terrorist organization al-Shabaab.

From a legal perspective, Israel grounds its recognition in the declarative theory of statehood, which holds that an entity qualifies as a state if it possesses a defined territory, a permanent population, and an effective government, regardless of whether it has been widely recognized by other states.

Strategic Logic: The Red Sea and the Houthi Threat

The primary driver behind Israel’s decision at this sensitive moment lies in the geopolitical shifts triggered by the Iron Swords War. Since November 2023, Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have exposed the vulnerability of Israeli trade routes and highlighted the need for nearby logistical and intelligence footholds. Somaliland controls more than 740 kilometers of coastline along the Gulf of Aden, the southern gateway to the Red Sea.

Located roughly 300–500 kilometers from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, Somaliland represents a high-value strategic asset for Israel. Security assessments published toward the end of 2025 suggest that an Israeli presence there could include signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection sites to monitor missile and drone launches from Yemen. In addition, Berbera Airport, home to one of the longest runways in Africa—originally built by the Soviet Union—could serve as a forward base for special operations, counter-terror strikes, and maritime threat interception.

Within Israel’s intelligence community, the prevailing analogy is to Israel’s strategic partnership with Azerbaijan vis-à-vis Iran. Just as Azerbaijan provides Israel with strategic depth and intelligence access near northern Iran, Somaliland could become Israel’s “southern backbone” in countering Iranian influence and proxy networks across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea arena.

Regional and International Reactions: Support and Opposition

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has sparked strong reactions that underscore deep divisions in the Horn of Africa and the broader Muslim world. The most vocal opposition has come from Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu, which views the move as a direct assault on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Somali officials fear a domino effect in which additional states follow Israel’s lead, granting Somaliland the international legitimacy it has sought for decades.

Opposition from Egypt and Turkey stems not only from solidarity with Somalia, but also from strategic concerns. Egypt, whose economy relies heavily on the Suez Canal, is wary of any foreign military presence in the southern Red Sea outside its control or coordination. Turkey, for its part, has invested billions of dollars in Somali state-building and views Israel’s move as an attempt to undermine its hard-won influence in the region.

The “Gaza Resettlement” Question: Rumors and Quiet Diplomacy

One of the most controversial aspects surrounding the recognition involves reports of contacts between Israel and Somaliland regarding the potential resettlement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Throughout 2025, claims repeatedly surfaced that Israel and the United States—under the second administration of Donald Trump—approached Somaliland’s leadership as part of a plan for the “voluntary migration” of Gazans after the war.

Although Somaliland’s government firmly denied any involvement in such a plan and publicly reaffirmed its support for Palestinian rights and a two-state solution, analysts suggest that the very discussion may have served as a diplomatic icebreaker. The confidential visit of President Abdullahi to Israel in October 2025, during which he met with Netanyahu, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Defense Minister Israel Katz, took place against this backdrop. The relationship, however, quickly expanded into a far broader strategic partnership that went well beyond the Gaza issue.

A Broader Regional Strategy

“Israel’s recognition of Somaliland fits into a proactive regional strategy aimed at building coalitions and peripheral partnerships to block two parallel trends,” says Prof. Eitan Shamir, head of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. “On the one hand, the expansion of Iran and its proxy network; on the other, the regional reach of Turkey and its allies.”

In this context, Israel has advanced several complementary initiatives in recent years: deepening security and diplomatic cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean through the East Mediterranean Gas Forum; promoting normalization agreements and new regional axes emerging from the Abraham Accords; expanding its strategic presence in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa; and strengthening coordination with countries in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Asia. Together, these steps reflect a vision of regional stabilization through a flexible, multi-layered alliance network rather than reliance on military deterrence alone.

Want to Understand What’s Really Happening, In Depth?

Bar-Ilan University offers a range of academic pathways that combine rigorous scholarship with applied research and close ties to Israel’s security and foreign-policy communities.

The Department of Middle Eastern Studies offers BA, MA, and PhD programs focusing on the region’s political, social, and economic history. Its honors track, developed in cooperation with the Prime Minister’s Office and security agencies, enables students to conduct in-depth research on contemporary issues and integrate into senior professional roles. Studies include advanced training in Arabic and Persian and analysis of topics such as radicalization, terrorist organizations, and Israel–Arab world relations.

The Department of Political Science offers distinctive MA programs that train the next generation of strategy and security experts, including tracks in Strategy, Intelligence, and National Security; International Relations and Strategy, with a focus on territory, borders, sovereignty, and international conflict; and Israel’s first Cyber and Strategy track within security studies, examining the intersection of technology, intelligence, and national strategy.

The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) serves as an international hub for real-time analysis of national security and foreign-policy challenges, with researchers closely following developments in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.

At Bar-Ilan, students gain the analytical toolbox needed to understand why Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is not a fleeting diplomatic gesture, but part of a deeper transformation shaping today’s international reality.

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