The Embassy of Somaliland in Jerusalem is the likely harbinger of a different military-political order in the arena between the strategic sea passages: Suez—Bab el Mandeb—Ormuz Passage.
*
Coast of Somaliland?
Eight hundred and fifty kilometres of coastline in the middle of the Gulf of Ade on the southern approach to the Red Sea n in the extreme northwest of the Indian Ocean. That is, the coast 300 kilometres “across” Yemen, and the strongholds of the rebel movement “Ansar Allah” there, which in November 2023, started targeting ships “connected to Israel” near Bab el Mandeb, and also launching missiles towards Israel.
The official Tel Aviv’s diplomatic interest in establishing and strengthening broad cooperation with the official Hargeisa seems quite understandable. As well as the joy of the official Hargeisa (on the photo) that 35 years since that region (6.2 million inhabitants, 177,000 square kilometres) declared secession from Somalia, Israel last December became the first UN member state to recognize the independence and sovereignty of Somaliland.
In terms of diplomatic rapprochement between Israel and Somaliland, things moved quickly this spring with the opening of embassies in Hargeisa and Jerusalem. With the decision of the official Hargeisa, Somaliland joined the group of seven countries that recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel (after such a decision by US President Donald Trump in 2017).
Be that as it may, Yitzhak Herzog, the President of Israel, while recently receiving the credentials of Dr. Mohamed Hagi, the ambassador of Somaliland based in Jerusalem, pointed out: “This new and important partnership between our countries will lead to future cooperation in various fields, for the benefit of our people and the entire region” (https://x.com/zerohedge/status/2059078341466960081). That same evening, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (https://www.newarab.com/analysis/will-growing-israel-somaliland-ties-deepen-red-sea-rivalries ).
What formats the upcoming cooperation between Israel and Somaliland could take in the Middle East region, only time will tell.
In the meantime, the Arab-Islamic world: from Mauritania to Indonesia, as if overnight, sees a “black sheep” in its ranks. And that, in the form of Somaliland , where Islam is otherwise the state religion. The trigger this time is “the embassy in Jerusalem”. On that occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Yemen warned Somaliland that Al-Quds (that is, Jerusalem) is an “occupied Arab and Islamic city” (https://www.saba.ye/en/news3712115.htm). Nineteen countries of the Arab-Islamic world issued a strong joint statement regarding the Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem, and further rapprochement with Israel (https://www.somaliguardian.com/news/somalia-news/somaliland-jerusalem-embassy-condemned/).
Hargeisa in this period, it seems, is not excessively haunted.
With Israel’s recognition, Somaliland is no longer “alone in the world.” After all, Somaliland has not hidden that it has such a desire for a long time. As early as the middle of last year, Somaliland President Abdullahi wrote to the leaders of 193 countries offering them strategic access to the country in exchange for recognition of independence. “Israel was the only one to respond positively and we are grateful,” Abdullahi told the cabinet in Hargeisa in January.
Hargeisa’s next move in the Near and Middle East belongs to the future order of that region.
