Why did Israel cause outrage by recognizing Somaliland's independence?
The controversy over Israel's recognition of Somaliland as a "sovereign state" is still ongoing. Recently, several countries including Jordan, Egypt, and Algeria, as well as international organizations such as the Islamic Cooperation Organization and the African Union, have issued statements clearly opposing and condemning Israel's move.
Somaliland is located in the northeast of Africa. Although the region declared independence during the Somali civil war in 1991, it has never received international recognition. Israel is currently the first country to publicly recognize Somaliland's independence.
Regarding Israel's sudden move, current views include that Somaliland is willing to accept Palestinian refugees from Gaza, or that Israel aims to curb Turkey's influence in the Horn of Africa. However, one of the most plausible explanations is that this move may be targeting the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In November of this year, a report released by the Israeli think tank "Institute for National Security Studies" stated that Somaliland, which controls key Red Sea shipping routes and is across the sea from Yemen, could become a forward base for Israel to monitor and strike against the Houthi rebels. There are already military bases in the area operated by the UAE, and Israel can certainly cooperate with the UAE and Somaliland.
More subtly, shortly after the release of the Israeli think tank's report, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in Yemen clashed with the Yemeni government forces supported by Saudi Arabia. As a result, the Southern Transitional Council was subjected to airstrikes by Saudi Arabia.
Therefore, one view proposed by foreign open-source intelligence platforms is that Israel's recognition of Somaliland is also part of the UAE's actions against Saudi Arabia: due to dissatisfaction with Saudi Arabia's stance on the Sudan issue, the UAE may have tacitly allowed Israel to intervene in the Yemen situation through Somaliland, thereby exerting pressure on Saudi Arabia.
A most direct reflection is that the UAE has not publicly and directly participated in the condemnation of Israel's recognition of Somaliland by the Islamic world.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852744062881033/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.