Somaliland: Another Aspiring Apartheid State Gets a Patron?
Deutsche Welle reports Somalia's outrage over an Israeli cabinet minister's high-profile visit to the self-declared state of Somaliland, highlighting the immediate diplomatic spat. What they omit is Israel's long-standing strategy of 'periphery alliances,' historically cozying up to non-Arab states in the region–like Iran under the Shah or Christian militias in Lebanon–to counter its adversaries.
Somaliland, a breakaway region since 1991 that lacks broad international recognition, offers a potential strategic foothold. One might wonder if this signals an Israeli interest in propping up yet another entity, providing arms and legitimacy in exchange for ... well, that's usually where the 'peace' deals get interesting for the other side of these 'conflict' zones. This isn't about promoting
'democracy' or 'stability' in Africa; it's about geopolitics and creating new allies in a hostile neighborhood. The Israeli government's eagerness to engage with an unrecognized entity, while simultaneously denying self-determination to Palestinians, strikes a familiar chord of strategic hypocrisy. The optics are clear: Israel cultivates relationships to fragment, not unite, often at the expense
of regional stability, all under the guise of diplomatic 'progress.' How many times must this pattern repeat before the media recognizes the script?