Somaliland official confirms talks with Israel on hosting a military base

An official in Somaliland on Thursday told Israeli media that ties with Jerusalem have led to discussions on potentially setting up an Israeli military base in the African self-ruled territory.

Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia that Israel recently recognized as a state — the first country to do so — has previously denied Somali accusations that the relations include “the resettlement of Palestinians or the establishment of military bases in Somaliland.”

But Israel’s Channel 12 news cited Deqa Qasim, the director of the political department in Hargeisa’s Foreign Ministry, as saying in an interview that such a military base is on the table and being discussed, though whether it will be established depends on the content of an agreement between the sides after they open reciprocal embassies.

Qasim was further quoted as saying security cooperation with Israel will include the fight against terror and involve the maritime arena, while touting potential economic opportunities such as investments in Somaliland’s natural resources.

“We see significant opportunity for real cooperation,” she said.

Somaliland is strategically placed near the coast of Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthis control much of the country and fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel during the war against Hamas in Gaza.

In the interview, Qasim also expressed openness to placing Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem, calling it natural for it to be established in the capital.

Despite the apparent reversal on the potential establishment of an Israeli military base, Qasim stressed that Somaliland did not agree to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, which Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also said a day earlier “is not part of our agreement with Somaliland.”

Speaking with Channel 14, Sa’ar did not rule out Somaliland accepting Gazans, but noted that the agreements signed with the breakaway republic last month don’t deal with the issue of resettlement.

“That’s what I can say on the matter,” added Sa’ar, who earlier in the week visited Somaliland and met with its president.

Plans for the voluntary migration of Gazans — initially advanced enthusiastically by Israel — have stalled, with US President Donald Trump gradually withdrawing support from the idea he proposed in February, in addition to a global refusal to accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza and accusations that Israel is trying to ethnically cleanse the Strip.

However, asked about the idea last week, Trump speculated that most Gazans would leave. “Let’s see if that opportunity presents itself,” he said, arguing that more than half would leave “if given the opportunity.”