The duty officer of Google’s information-monitoring division at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, may have been preparing for what seemed like a routine evening shift. Then the screen probably began displaying an unusual trend.
A country that rarely appears in global discourse – one that many internet users would struggle even to spell – was likely climbing steadily in search interest. Queries, articles, mentions, and questions all revolved around a single word: Somaliland.
There was no major war, no earthquake, no sporting triumph. No dramatic global event explained the spike. What the hypothetical surprised employee did not yet know was that, on the other side of the world, Israel had announced its recognition of this state. The algorithms, however, already understood: something new and consequential was moving beneath the surface.
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is neither a marginal gesture nor an exotic humanitarian nod toward a distant African entity. It represents a strategic shift. For the first time in years, Israel is signaling that it is rethinking the environment in which it operates – not as a collection of isolated threats, but as an interconnected geopolitical system in which absence and passivity lead to strategic marginalization.
To understand the significance of the move, one must begin with Somaliland itself. Since 1991, it has functioned as a de facto state, complete with governing institutions, security forces, a functioning political system, and regular elections. Compared to Somalia, from which it seceded, Somaliland enjoys relative stability.
But its true importance lies not only in its internal governance. Somaliland sits at a strategic chokepoint: the southern entrance to the Gulf of Aden, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors. This is a junction where global trade, flowing energy, maritime security, and great-power competition intersect.
Israel recognizes Somaliland at key time as Western powers retreat
THE TIMING of Israel’s recognition is no coincidence. Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes, carried out under Iranian patronage, have transformed the maritime arena into a direct threat to Israel’s economy and strategic freedom of movement – as well as to global commerce at large.
At the same time, the vacuum created by the retreat or weakening of Western powers and the collapse of regional regimes has been rapidly filled by assertive actors, foremost among them Iran and Turkey. One is a radical Shi’ite power; the other a Sunni state with pronounced regional ambitions. Both expand influence through overseas bases, ports, arms deals, and economic diplomacy.
Israel, which in its early decades preferred strategic isolation and minimal regional engagement, is now – albeit belatedly – signaling a conceptual shift in response to changing international and regional realities. Unsurprisingly, the recognition of Somaliland has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Arab states. Yet Israel chose initiative over inertia, shaping reality rather than allowing reality to shape it.
The move opens a range of opportunities: security-related, economic, and civilian. First, it offers the potential to enhance intelligence gathering, monitoring, and control over the maritime space from which the Houthis operate. This does not require permanent Israeli presence; strategic depth can be achieved through cooperation, partnerships, and expanded operational flexibility.
Second, there is a geo-economic opportunity. While Somaliland itself is not a large market, it can serve as a gateway to East Africa, including indirect access to Ethiopia’s vast market via the Port of Berbera. This integration of security, infrastructure, and trade is a model long understood by major powers – and one Israel is beginning to adopt.
Third, there is a civilian-technological dimension: water management, agriculture, energy, digital health, and smart infrastructure. For Somaliland, these are existential needs. For Israel, they are areas of proven expertise.
STILL, RECOGNITION is not an endpoint; it is a starting point. The move will continue to provoke resistance. Turkey, which has entrenched itself deeply in Somalia, views the decision as a direct blow to its interests. Arab states, led by Egypt, warn of a dangerous secessionist precedent. The African Union and the European Union have voiced objections, emphasizing Somalia’s territorial integrity. On the broader international stage – including China – criticism has emerged, while President Donald Trump’s cautious response leaves the move without explicit public backing from Washington, at least for now.
Yet the real question is not who condemned the decision, but what Israel seeks to achieve. If recognition remains symbolic, it will quickly fade. But if it is followed by a coherent security, economic, and diplomatic framework – one that advances regional stability, freedom of navigation, and shared interests with pragmatic actors – it may solidify into a durable strategic fact, positioning Israel as an active and influential player on the geopolitical field.
The deeper significance of the move lies not only in Somaliland but in the post-October 7 shift in Israeli strategic consciousness. Israel is beginning to understand that security is not shaped solely through airstrikes and tactical responses, but through the proactive design of the strategic arena itself. A clear understanding of the environment in which the state operates – and the willingness to take preemptive geopolitical action – offers stability in an era where survival depends not only on military capability, but on presence, partnerships, and strategic foresight.
The writer, an IDF reserve lieutenant colonel, is CEO of the Israel Defense & Security Forum (IDSF).