Tuesday January 6, 2026
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland is driven by three objectives, chief among them securing a military foothold near the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf, warning that the move poses a serious threat to Somalia’s sovereignty and national security.
In an interview with Al Arabiya English, Mohamud rejected the legitimacy of Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region and described it as a breach of international law.
Asked about Israel’s motives, Mohamud said it had “three objectives in Somaliland”.
The first, he said, was “to have a military base there just to get closer to the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, a very strategic waterway for international trade and the security of the Gulf region”.
The second objective, he said, was for the breakaway region to “accept and accommodate the relocation of Palestinians”.
The third, Mohamud said, was Somaliland’s agreement to join the Abraham Accords.
“There’s only one objective that Somaliland leadership has, which is recognition from Israel,” he added.
Mohamud said Somalia would not accept any plan to displace Palestinians to its territory. “It is very illegitimate to forcibly relocate people to a country they do not belong to,” he said, adding that there are no historical ties between Palestinians and Somalia.
He stressed that Palestinians “don’t want to go any place other than their home… which is Palestine,” and said “there is no way that Somalia can accept that.”
Israel has long pursued policies aimed at displacing Palestinians.
In March 2025, reports said US and Israeli officials contacted three East African governments, including Somaliland’s authorities, about hosting displaced Palestinians. The outreach came amid a push by US President Donald Trump to take control of Gaza and forcibly relocate its population of over two million Palestinians to neighbouring countries.
Mohamud said Somalia had long monitored reports that Israel sought a closer strategic position near the Gulf, accusing Israel of building a pretext for military expansion in the region. He said Tel Aviv has argued it requires "a military foothold to defend itself from enemies 2,000 kilometres away”.
He added that information suggested Israel had explored alternatives beyond Somaliland, noting that Somalia has no diplomatic relations with Israel.
On why Somaliland pursued Israeli recognition, Mohamud cited what he described as desperation following decades without international acceptance. “For three decades, no country has recognized Somaliland,” he said, adding that extremist leadership, not the population, pushed the move as the secession project became “non-viable”.
He said several regions had already rejected separatism and want to return to a unified Somalia.
Addressing reports of celebrations in Somaliland following Israel’s announcement, Mohamud said support was limited. “The celebrations took place in some parts of Hargeisa and not in other parts,” he said, adding that “in many places there were strong and powerful demonstrations of rejection”.
He warned that Israel’s recognition represents one of the gravest security challenges Somalia has faced in recent years. “Absolutely, it is a threat… it is a national security threat,” he said. “This is more serious than the war against terror.”
Mohamud said Israel’s presence could bolster recruitment by Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated armed group fighting Somalia’s federal government. “Israel added into the equation… that will give them a breeding ground for recruitment,” he said, calling the move “an opportunity for Al-Shabaab”.
On the fight against al-Shabaab, Mohamud rejected claims his government lacks a strategy, saying Somali forces had retaken significant territory since 2022 and were continuing operations on multiple fronts. “We are winning the war in general,” he said.
While reiterating a preference for dialogue to restore unity, Mohamud did not rule out the use of force if Somalia’s security were endangered. “Our preference was to have that dialogue,” he said, citing the country’s experience with prolonged violence and extremism.
In December, Israel announced it would formally recognize Somaliland, becoming the only country to do so more than three decades after the territory declared secession from Somalia.
The move has been rejected by the African Union (AU), Egypt, and the European Union (EU), all of which reaffirm Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Mohamud has previously said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position on Somaliland was “unacceptable”, calling the recognition “a violation of international law” and “the beginning of insecurity and instability, particularly for Somalia and the wider region”.