HARGEISA (SD) – The Somaliland government has stated that the conflict between Israel and Palestine is fundamentally a territorial and political dispute rather than a religious one, arguing that some Muslim-majority countries have portrayed it as a religious conflict to advance their own political interests and influence within the Islamic world.
Somaliland’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, said that the foreign policies of several regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, have at times used religious narratives to pursue national interests. He argued that this has contributed to opposition within parts of the Islamic world toward establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.
The minister pointed to the 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt as evidence that diplomatic engagement with Israel has long existed in the region. He added that decades of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have primarily focused on territory, borders, and political issues rather than religious differences.
According to the minister, Somaliland’s relationship with Israel is based on mutual interests, including security, economic cooperation, and diplomatic engagement, and is not motivated by religious considerations.
Khadar also argued that criticism of Somaliland’s ties with Israel often relies on religious arguments, while noting that some countries publicly opposed to Somaliland’s relationship with Israel maintain their own political or economic relations with Israel.
Several Muslim-majority countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, have voiced opposition to Somaliland’s growing ties with Israel. Meanwhile, the Federal Government of Somalia maintains that any agreements Somaliland enters into with foreign states undermine Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The statement reflects Somaliland’s effort to frame its relationship with Israel as a pragmatic foreign policy decision based on national interests rather than religious considerations. It also highlights the growing diplomatic divide between Somaliland and Somalia, as well as differing regional approaches toward engagement with Israel.
