Prof. Uzi Rabi, a senior researcher at the Dayan Center for Middle East Studies, warned against dismissing Somaliland, which he described as Israel’s emerging ally in the Horn of Africa.
“People are turning it into a joke because they simply do not understand the reality,” Rabi said in an interview with 103FM. “This is a very significant place-six times the size of Israel. You are talking about a country located in a hornet’s nest that wants to chart a different course, similar to Azerbaijan in the Caucasus. It wants to turn westward.”
Rabi said he was not concerned by international condemnations surrounding the process of mutual recognition between Israel and Somaliland. “Are we really afraid of Security Council condemnations?” he asked. “In my view, this move has US approval. From there, the US supports efforts against the Houthis in Yemen and maintains access to Bab al-Mandeb, one of the most strategic waterways in the world. This is precisely where Israel should be operating.”
Turning to Iran, Rabi said the regime is currently facing unprecedented internal difficulties. “Iran has reached severe poverty levels, with collapsing infrastructure-water, electricity, widespread rationing, and an austerity-driven economy,” he said. “The missile displays are a substitute for real progress. Iran lacks the ability to advance its nuclear project or meaningfully enrich uranium, so these shows are simply a way of shouting, ‘We are still here.’”