By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Somaliland has rejected claims that it agreed to host Israeli military facilities and resettle displaced Palestinians from Gaza in exchange for recognition as an independent state by Israel.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday dismissed the claims as baseless, saying its engagement with Israel was “purely diplomatic” and conducted “in full respect of international law”.
This comes in response to allegations by Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who said Somaliland had accepted three conditions from Israel — The resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of a military base on the Gulf of Aden coast, and joining the Abraham Accords to normalise ties with Israel.
Reports had circulated earlier that Somaliland was interested in assisting Israel’s widely condemned aim of ethnically cleansing Palestinians, as officials in Hargeisa pushed for recognition.
Somaliland’s foreign minister said no talks had taken place on the issue but did not reject the possibility, unlike other countries rumoured to be of interest to Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Tuesday that Somaliland would join the Accords, telling United States media outlet Newsmax he wanted to “support a democratic, moderate country, a Muslim country, that wants to join the Abraham Accords”.
Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland as an independent state last week, ending more than three decades of failed bids by the breakaway region of Somalia.
Somaliland’s President Abdurrahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, is planning an official visit to Israel in the coming weeks, according to Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster.
Sources said the visit could take place as early as the second week of January, during which Abdullahi would formally join the Abraham Accords.
Somalia’s President warned that Israel’s recognition “was not merely a diplomatic gesture but a cover for specific, high-stakes Israeli strategic objectives”.
He claimed Israel would “export its problem in Gaza” to the Horn of Africa and described the move as opening “a box of evils in the world”.
