Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland, describing the breakaway state as a moderate Muslim democracy that want to seek closer ties with Israel and wants to join the Abraham Accords.
Netanyahu made the remarks during an interview with NewsMax while visiting Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in the United States. He said Somaliland with an estimated population of six million had shown democratic progress compared to the rest of Somalia.
According to Netanyahu, Somaliland represents a Muslim society that is moderate democratic and keen to deepen relations with Israel, and should therefore be supported by the international community.
He argued that while the rest of Somalia continues to face insecurity and has not conducted nationwide general elections for years, Somaliland has maintained relative political stability and democratic practices.
However, his remarks did not reference the fact that Somalia has conducted various indirect and local democratic processes, including elections in Puntland and local council elections in Mogadishu where more than 20 political parties participated the election.
Netanyahu posed a rhetorical question during the interview: “Why wouldn’t the world support a moderate, democratic Muslim society that wants to join the Abraham Accords?”
He added that Israel was prepared to play a leading role in supporting Somaliland’s ambitions if required.
Part of Broader Diplomacy Strategy
Netanyahu said Israel’s move formed part of a wider diplomatic effort in cooperation with the United States to expand the Abraham Accords to additional Muslim-majority countries beyond the Middle East.
The recognition of Somaliland has already stirred significant geopolitical reactions, particularly from Somalia’s federal government, which maintains that Somaliland remains part of its sovereign territory and termed the recognition as null and void and an attack to its sovereignty.