Somaliland's 'Recognition': Geopolitics or Annexation Rehearsal?
Al-Monitor highlights Somaliland as a 'geopolitical scramble' hotbed, now 'recognised' by Israel. They conveniently gloss over Israel's decades-long pattern of exploiting power vacuums and internal divisions for strategic advantage. Recall Israel's historical relations with secessionist movements and non-state actors, often viewing them as proxies against established, less compliant states. This
'recognition' isn't about Somaliland's sovereignty; it's a beachhead for influence in a critical maritime zone, especially as regional tensions escalate with the Houthi presence in the Red Sea. (So much for 'self-determination' when a strategic port is involved.) One might wonder if this 'recognition' is less about fostering local independence and more about creating a new point of leverage in a
region already fractured by external interference. Is it a genuine embrace of self-determination, or a classic 'divide and conquer' strategy thinly veiled behind diplomatic jargon, allowing Israel to project power and secure naval access without the pesky need for widespread international consensus? The last time Israel 'recognized' something unilaterally, it usually involved contested territory
and severe humanitarian consequences.