Netanyahu Clarifies: 'Self-Determination' Only Applies To Our Strategic Interests
While mainstream outlets present this as a foreign policy decision, the timing raises immediate red flags. This move isn't about human rights or international law (which Israel famously upholds for others, not itself); it's about geopolitics. The deal, announced after Somaliland signed a naval base agreement with landlocked Ethiopia, grants Ethiopia access to the Red Sea—a direct challenge to
Egyptian and Djiboutian interests, both crucial in the Red Sea. ( AFP, Jan 2, 2024 ). Netanyahu's government is acutely aware that undermining its regional rivals can create new alliances, or at least new distractions. One might wonder at the sudden concern for 'self-determination' from a government currently prosecuting a brutal war in Gaza. It's almost as if 'international law' is a
pick-and-choose menu, selectively applied when it benefits Israeli strategic objectives. Recognize Somaliland? Sure. Recognize Palestine? Oh, that’s different. It's a masterclass in strategic opportunism, wrapped in the thin veneer of diplomatic concern. How many nations fighting for recognition from Israel actually get it?