Somalia Rejects Israeli Presence as President Warns Against Regional Expansion
In an interview with Al Jazeera scheduled to air Sunday, excerpts published ahead of the broadcast showed Mohamud saying that Israel intends to establish a naval base in the Somaliland city of Berbera and make use of the city's airport.
The Somali president said he believes the reported moves are connected to broader Israeli strategic interests in the region. According to Mohamud, Israel's main objective is to position itself closer to the Gulf states and Iran.
Mohamud rejected efforts to involve Somalia in conflicts and tensions unfolding across the Middle East, saying attempts to draw the country into the region's crises would not succeed.
He also said Somalia would be able to overcome the challenges created by what he described as Israeli moves in the region. The president maintained that Somalia's position against an Israeli presence was firm and would not change.
Mohamud further argued that opposition to an Israeli presence extends to residents of Somaliland itself. He said people living in the breakaway region also reject the establishment of an Israeli presence there.
The issue is particularly sensitive because of the longstanding dispute between Somalia and Somaliland. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has operated separately for decades, while Somalia continues to regard the territory as an integral part of the country.
Israel recognized Somaliland last year, a development that has added another dimension to the longstanding territorial dispute and raised concerns in Mogadishu over Israel's involvement in the region.
Berbera, located on the Gulf of Aden, is strategically positioned along an important maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean. Any foreign military or strategic presence there could therefore carry wider regional implications, particularly amid continuing security and geopolitical tensions around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Mohamud's remarks underscore Somalia's opposition to what it views as external efforts to establish a strategic or military presence in territory claimed by Mogadishu. His comments also reflect the government's broader position that Somalia should not become a party to conflicts and rivalries involving outside powers in the Middle East.
The Somali government continues to regard Somaliland as part of the country's sovereign territory, while Somaliland maintains its claim to independence. The dispute remains one of the region's longest-running political issues, with questions surrounding recognition, territorial sovereignty and foreign partnerships continuing to shape relations between the two sides.
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