- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says his country believes Israel’s recognition is linked to plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza.
Islamabad – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has warned that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland carries serious implications for Palestinians in Gaza and for stability across the Horn of Africa, describing the move as driven by strategic interests rather than diplomacy.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera from Istanbul on Tuesday, Mohamud said Israel’s decision was “unexpected and strange,” noting that Somaliland has sought international recognition for more than three decades without success.
“Somaliland has been claiming secession for over 30 years, and not a single country recognised it,” Mohamud said. “We have been working to reunite Somalia peacefully. After 34 years, it was very surprising that Israel suddenly stepped in and said, ‘We recognise Somaliland.’”
Israel last week became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region in northwest Somalia bordering the Gulf of Aden. Mohamud said the move was not merely symbolic but concealed “specific, high-stakes Israeli strategic objectives.”
According to Somali intelligence assessments cited by the president, Somaliland has agreed to three conditions in exchange for recognition: the resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of an Israeli military base along the Gulf of Aden, and participation in the Abraham Accords.
Mohamud accused Israel of seeking to forcibly displace Palestinians and export the Gaza conflict to the Horn of Africa. “This will open a box of evils in the world,” he said, adding that Israel has “no peaceful intentions” in Somalia. “This is a step of utmost danger, and the world — particularly Arabs and Muslims — must see it as a serious threat.”
The Somali leader also alleged that Israeli presence in Somaliland predates formal recognition and that the announcement merely formalised activities that were previously covert.
Mohamud further argued that Israel is attempting to expand its influence over strategically vital waterways, including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are crucial corridors for global trade and energy supplies.
His remarks came during an official visit to Turkiye, where he held talks and a joint news conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both leaders warned that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could destabilise the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but had not been recognised by any United Nations member state prior to Israel’s decision. The move was swiftly condemned by most members of the UN Security Council during an emergency session in New York. The United States was the sole member to defend Israel’s action, while stressing that Washington’s policy on Somaliland remains unchanged.
Addressing the US position, Mohamud said Somalia would judge Washington by its official statements. “They were clear in supporting Somalia’s sovereignty and distancing themselves from Israel on this issue,” he said.
The interview also touched on concerns that armed group al-Shabab could exploit the situation to boost recruitment. Al-Shabab has condemned Israel’s move and threatened to target any Israeli presence in the region.
Mohamud dismissed the group’s claims, calling it an al-Qaeda proxy that bears responsibility for Somalia’s instability. “They are the ones who weakened Somalia,” he said. “Let them abandon terrorism and make peace instead of pretending to defend the country.”
Defending his government’s record, Mohamud pointed to recent territorial gains against al-Shabab and the holding of Somalia’s first direct elections since 1969 as signs of progress toward long-term stability.
“Somalia has been in a unique phase over the past two years,” he said. “It is time for the country to emerge from the prolonged quagmire it has endured.”
BY: The Times Union
