SOMALILAND REJECTS SOMALIA’S CLAIMS OVER PROPOSED ISRAELI MILITARY BASE
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By: Fasasi Hammad
Somaliland has rejected comments by Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud regarding Israel’s reported plans to establish a military presence in the Horn of Africa.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mohamud said Somalia would “never accept the presence of Israel in Somalia under any circumstances.”
The Somali president also alleged that Israel plans to establish a naval base at Berbera port in Somaliland, near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, describing the move as part of what he called the “Greater Israel” project.
Responding to the remarks, Somaliland said Somalia had no authority to determine its foreign relations, insisting that the two sides are “separate sovereign states with different governance realities.”
Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry said its diplomatic relationship with Israel was based on a mutual decision to promote friendly cooperation, development and regional stability.
Hargeisa also dismissed claims that Berbera could be used as a platform for aggression against other countries, describing the allegation as unfounded and contrary to Somaliland’s commitment to peaceful relations.
The Somaliland government further condemned what it described as “threats of force and interference,” urging Somalia’s leadership to exercise restraint and focus on addressing its domestic challenges.
The dispute comes amid growing diplomatic engagement between Somaliland and Israel. In June, Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi met Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to security and stability in the Horn of Africa.
Israel’s reported military footprint in the region could also provide a strategic location for monitoring and potentially striking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, whose attacks have posed a threat to shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023.
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