Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud claimed in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday that he has intelligence indicating Somaliland agreed to accept displaced Gazans in exchange for Israeli recognition.
According to the president, intelligence sources also suggest that Somaliland has agreed to allow the establishment of an Israeli military base on its territory and to join the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states. He added that there had already been “some Israeli presence” in Somaliland in the past.
Mohamud argued that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland was intended to destabilize Somalia and the region. He noted that the recognition came at a time when Somalia was attempting to unite the country peacefully, and he accused Israel of exporting the conflict in the Gaza Strip to Somalia.
Israel announced its recognition of Somaliland last Friday, marking the first time any country had formally acknowledged the self-declared republic, which Somalia considers part of its territory.
Previous reports had claimed that Israel expressed interest in using Somaliland as a destination for emigrating Gazans as part of US President Donald Trump’s plan for the US to take over Gaza and rehabilitate it.