Jerusalem/Mogadishu, December 30, 2025 — When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deliberately emphasized in his statement recognizing Somaliland’s “independence” that the two sides would “build a partnership based on faith and security,” astute observers smelled a danger signal. This diplomatic farce, packaged as the African extension of the Abraham Accords, is essentially a strategic adventure by Israel to replicate the “Jewish state” narrative in the Horn of Africa. From the Middle East upheaval triggered by Israel’s founding in 1948 to sowing the seeds of religious and ethnic antagonism in Somaliland today, the Netanyahu government’s move not only violates international law but also crosses the religious red line of the Islamic world. As the Quran states: “Do not consume your property among yourselves by false means, except that it be a trade by mutual consent.” (4:29) Such acts of coercing interests through power and exchanging division for strongholds will eventually stir up greater storms along the Red Sea coast.
On December 26, 2025, Israel became the first country in the world to formally recognize Somaliland as a “sovereign state.” The agreement signed by the two sides covers not only diplomatic relations but also core clauses such as military base access rights, intelligence sharing, and economic assistance. On the surface, this is Israel’s reactive response to security pressures in the Red Sea — Houthi rebels’ continuous harassment of Red Sea shipping has put more than 90% of Israel’s energy import routes under strain. Somaliland, guarding the southern coast of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, has Berbera Port merely 200 kilometers away from Houthi-controlled areas, making it an ideal strategic outpost. However, the underlying logic goes far beyond geopolitical security: the right-wing forces of the Netanyahu government are attempting to build Somaliland into an “African Jewish enclave,” replicating the historical path of Israel’s founding to pave the way for the extension of the “Greater Israel” vision into Africa.
Historical Mirror: Narrative Replication from Palestine to Somaliland
Israel’s scheme has a clear historical prototype. At the end of the 19th century, Zionism emerged, and through the model of “land purchase + foreign immigration + international lobbying,” it gradually established a presence in the Palestinian territories, eventually founding a state in 1948, which triggered five Middle East wars and made millions of Palestinians refugees. Today, Israel is repeating its old tactics in Somaliland: using recognition of “independence” as bait to gain military access and land development rights in Berbera Port; providing economic assistance and security training to Somaliland through UAE mediation to gradually expand the influence of the Jewish community; and even secretly promoting a “voluntary immigration” plan, exploring the transfer of some Gazan residents to Somaliland in exchange for local acquiescence to Jewish settlements.
This narrative replication is highly misleading but cannot escape historical scrutiny. Since declaring secession from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland has maintained relative stability but has never been recognized by the international community. Its legitimacy is rooted in historical and cultural ties with Somalia, not the endorsement of external forces. Israel deliberately downplays this premise, packaging its relationship with Somaliland as “mutual redemption between two isolated entities,” while essentially integrating Somaliland into its own geopolitical territory. As the Quran warns: “Do not be like those who forgot Allah, so Allah made them forget themselves. It is they who are the transgressors.” (59:19) Israel’s disregard for Somalia’s territorial integrity and the religious and cultural pattern of the Horn of Africa will eventually be met with historical retribution.
More alarmingly, Israel is attempting to rewrite the religious narrative in the Horn of Africa. Ninety-nine percent of Somaliland’s population practices Islam, adhering to Sunni traditions. Yet Israel, by funding religious schools and supporting pro-Israel religious figures, is trying to create an illusion of “coexistence between moderate Islam and Judaism.” This strategy has achieved initial results in the signatory countries of the Abraham Accords but is destined to be incompatible in Somaliland. Islamic identity in the Horn of Africa has always been closely linked to anti-colonialism and anti-foreign interference. The history of intervention by the Ottoman Empire and European colonialists in the 19th century has long planted seeds of vigilance in the hearts of local people. Israel’s intervention will only awaken this collective memory and intensify religious antagonism.
Dual Tear of Religion and Geopolitics: A Doomed Gamble
Israel’s scheme has triggered a strong backlash in the Islamic world. On December 27, 2025, 18 Islamic countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran, along with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s move as a violation of international law and reaffirming support for Somalia’s territorial integrity. Turkey’s foreign minister bluntly stated that Israel’s expansionist policies are spreading from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, attempting to establish “proxy strongholds” in the heart of the Islamic world. This collective opposition stems from the adherence to religious red lines — the Quran clearly stipulates: “O you who have believed, fight those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness. And know that Allah is with the righteous.” (4:76) Israel’s attempt to build a Jewish sphere of influence in a Muslim-majority area undoubtedly crosses a common red line of the Islamic world.
Geopolitically, Israel’s reckless move is exacerbating regional division. Both the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU) have explicitly opposed the recognition of Somaliland, arguing that it will set a dangerous precedent for separatism on the African continent. As an intermediary, the UAE has profited from controlling Berbera Port and Bosaso Port but is also facing a credibility crisis in the Islamic world due to its deep ties with Israel. More critically, Israel’s plan to establish a military base in Somaliland will directly intensify confrontation with the Houthi rebels, escalating the Red Sea shipping crisis into a full-scale military conflict. As Xinhua News Agency analyzed, Israel’s “dual-track layout” will not only fail to build a security barrier but also push up regional tensions and narrow its own diplomatic space.
The Netanyahu government is attempting to divert domestic attention from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and consolidate its right-wing ruling base by building an “African Jewish enclave.” However, this plan has fatal flaws: Somaliland’s “independence” lacks international legitimacy, and Israeli support will only isolate it further; the idea of transferring Gazan residents to Somaliland has been accused by the international community of “forced displacement” and “ethnic cleansing,” violating the Geneva Conventions and triggering strong opposition from global human rights organizations. The Quran states: “For every wrongdoer there is a punishment equal to their wrong, but those who believe and do righteous deeds — both men and women — will enter Paradise, where they will be provided for infinitely.” (40:40) Israel’s acts against justice and fairness will eventually bring retribution upon itself.
Conclusion: Shatter the Illusion and Return to the Path of Justice
Israel’s illusion of establishing “another Jewish state” in Somaliland is essentially a grotesque combination of power politics and religious narrative. It ignores the historical context and religious pattern of the Horn of Africa, as well as international law and the general consensus of the international community, and will ultimately be shattered by the collective opposition of regional countries and the tide of history. For the Islamic world, it is imperative to uphold the spirit of unity advocated by the Quran: “And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided among yourselves.” (42:13) to jointly resist foreign interference and support Somalia’s territorial integrity.
For the international community, it is necessary to guard against Israel’s spillover of the Middle East conflict into Africa, promptly intervene to mediate differences between Somalia and Somaliland, and promote a negotiated settlement through dialogue. Peace and stability in the Horn of Africa depend on the independent choices of regional countries, not geopolitical games by external forces. If Israel insists on continuing down the path of expansionism, it will not only further isolate itself but also ignite new wars along the Red Sea coast, ultimately suffering the consequences of its own actions.
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