Somaliland Official Defends Ties with Israel Amid Arab Backlash

Somaliland’s Government Official Defends Normalization with Israel

Hersi Ali Haji Hassan, chairman of Somaliland’s ruling Waddani party, has defended the breakaway region’s decision to normalize relations with Israel, dismissing criticism from the Arab and Muslim world as hypocritical. In an interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher on Wednesday, Hassan stated that Somaliland had “no choice” but to seek recognition from Tel Aviv after 34 years of isolation.

Hassan argued that Somaliland was forced to look to Israel for legitimacy due to its prolonged international neglect. He emphasized that the region’s existence has been recognized by Israel since late December, and that normalization is a necessary step towards securing official international recognition.

The federal government in Mogadishu has condemned the move as a violation of sovereignty, while the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have issued statements rejecting the “separatist reality”. Hassan dismissed these criticisms, citing Somaliland’s de facto independence for 34 years.

He also pointed out that other Arab nations, such as Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, and the UAE, maintain diplomatic and economic relations with Israel. When asked about the possibility of an Israeli military base on Somaliland’s soil, Hassan refused to rule it out explicitly, stating that the topic has not been discussed in the current phase of diplomacy.

The interview turned tense when discussing the war in Gaza, with Hassan attempting to separate political dealings from religious solidarity. He claimed that the US-brokered ceasefire initiative had brought an end to hostilities, and emphasized that Somaliland’s stance on the Palestinian issue is similar to that of Arab and Islamic countries.

Source: Al Jazeera