Hamid Khoshayand – Regional Affairs Expert
On December 26, 2025 (Dey 5, 1404), the Zionist regime, as the first regime in the world, issued a statement declaring its recognition of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. Following the recognition of Somaliland, Netanyahu described the initiation of bilateral cooperation as significant and historic, and invited the self-proclaimed President of Somaliland for an official visit to occupied Palestine. He promised to consult with Trump regarding Somaliland’s accession to the Abraham Accords.
The decision by the Zionist regime was immediately met with a wave of international condemnation in the region and across the world. Many countries, including partners of the Zionist regime, protested this action, describing it as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the creation of a dangerous precedent in international law.
The Geopolitical Significance of Somaliland for Tel Aviv
Somaliland itself is not of significant importance to the Zionist regime in terms of domestic politics and power. What has made this region strategically important for Tel Aviv, especially over the past two years, primarily relates to three essential categories: first, the geostrategic and geopolitical position of Somaliland; second, the pressures exerted against the Zionist regime from the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait; and third, the expansion of the Abraham Accords and their political exploitation.
The Republic of Somaliland is the name of an autonomous region consisting of five northern provinces of Somalia. Somaliland has a population of approximately six million, and its capital is Hargeisa, which is considered the second most important city in Somalia after Mogadishu. Although no other country has officially recognized Somaliland since 1991, several countries, including Britain, Ethiopia, Turkey, the UAE, Denmark, Kenya, and Taiwan, have established liaison offices in the region. A relatively calm security environment, stable domestic politics, a lack of widespread internal tensions and conflicts similar to those in other parts of Somalia, a relatively democratic multi-party system, the predominant presence of pro-Western forces in the power structure, and cautious dealings with Islamic movements, resistance groups, Russia, China, and other actors distinguish and differentiate this region from the mainland, namely Somalia.
Although the US government, in response to the Zionist regime’s action, has stated that it currently has no plans to recognize Somaliland; however, some American officials are making efforts in this direction, which itself constitutes a kind of duplicitous policy.
The Security, Military, and Economic Objectives of the Zionist Regime
The Zionist regime pursues important objectives in security, military, political, and economic dimensions through the recognition of Somaliland. The geostrategic and geopolitical position of Somaliland, especially its location at the entrance of the Gulf of Aden (opposite southern Yemen) which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, as well as its location in the Horn of Africa with direct access to the Red Sea, are significant reasons within which the Zionist regime’s action can be assessed; especially given that the Zionist regime has suffered severe blows from this area in the past two years, and its economy and trade were even on the verge of collapse.
For a long time, the Zionist regime has sought to establish a firm foothold and effective presence in the Red Sea to closely confront the Yemeni Resistance and easily access logistical and military facilities on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, to intercept Ansar Allah’s missiles and drones, and gather intelligence on them. From Tel Aviv’s perspective, recognizing Somaliland, whose coastline and territory are approximately 300 to 500 kilometers away from areas under Ansar Allah’s control in Yemen, including the port of Hodeidah, could provide a suitable ground for the regime’s military, security, and intelligence presence and be considered one of the main pillars for realizing the strategy of containing Ansar Allah.
The second issue is not falling behind in the process of economic and trade presence and influence that some countries have initiated in the Horn of Africa. By recognizing Somaliland, the Zionist regime seeks to infiltrate this strategic region and compete with actors such as Turkey and the UAE, which have made massive investments there in recent years. Within this framework, the port of Berbera can be used as an important lever for effective presence in the Red Sea trade routes.
The next issue is evaluating this action from the perspective of the Abraham Accords: by recognizing Somaliland, the Zionist regime exploits it as a symbolic revival of the Abraham Accords and as an expansion of the circle of normalization of relations beyond the Arab world.
The Regional and International Consequences of Tel Aviv’s Action
Despite the important objectives pursued by the Zionist regime through the recognition of Somaliland, this action cannot be without consequences. First, this decision plays an obvious role in weakening Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and sets a dangerous precedent in the international system, violating the long-standing principles of non-interference and respect for existing borders; the direct result of this process in this specific case will be increased instability in the Horn of Africa.
Secondly, this action could become an interventionist model for other external actors to support secessionist movements and groups in different countries in pursuit of their own geopolitical interests. This process could simultaneously inflame ethnic and regional tensions, threaten the security of the entire region, and pave the way for a new round of conflicts and foreign interventions. This process will ultimately seriously endanger peace and sustainable development in this region.
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