Bihi Warns Somaliland Risks Losing Allies Over Israel Ties

[Deeq A.]

Muse Bihi Abdi: “The Constitution of Somaliland does not support the victimisation of our co-religionists.”

Hargeisa (PP Comment) — In a congratulatory message on the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Muse Bihi Abdi, the former President of the Somaliland administration, said that the Somaliland government has yet to present to the parliament the agreement with Israel. “No one can allow a plan to displace Palestinians [in Gaza]. The Constitution of Somaliland does not support the victimisation of our co-religionists,” said Bihi.

Israel contrasted the recognition it granted to the Somaliland administration with the Palestinian state, which Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described as “a virtual state compared to Somaliland”. Bihi said that the recognition of the Somaliland administration by Israel has brought together countries that were previously rivals. He views this trend as a threat that could damage the Somaliland administration if leaders do not navigate it carefully.

In 2024, when Bihi signed a maritime Memorandum of Understanding with Abiy Ahmed the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, he claimed that the deal was an economic cooperation rooted in previous agreements with the Federal Government of Somalia. President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi of the Somaliland administration, who was a presidential candidate in 2024, declined to support the maritime MoU. He mobilised strong anti-MoU sentiment in his constituencies. Last week, he granted an interview to a television network in which he claimed that any investors building factories in Somaliland territories would be given land free of charge. In 2017, President Abdullahi, then a leader of Waddani, a political party, opposed a plan to grant the United Arab Emirates a base in Berbera.

The African Union, European Union, the Arab League, the USA, China and the United Kingdom have all fully supported the territorial integrity and political unity of Somalia in response to the unilateral recognition of the Somaliland administration by Israel.

The message from Bihi is that the Somaliland administration has lost many friends over the new relationship between Somaliland and Israel. Although he cautiously welcomes the recognition of Somaliland by Israel, he has grown sceptical of the secessionist administration’s closeness to Israel at a time when Benjamin Netanyahu faces accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Two weeks ago, Sheikh Mustafa Haji Ismail urged the Somaliland administration to rethink Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland as a country. “Israel is a country whose army killed 70,000 Palestinians and committed genocide, and is widely rejected even in the West. If you, Somalilanders, feel mistreated, you should not be applauding the suffering of Palestinians,” Sheikh Mustafa said.

The intervention of the former Somaliland President, drawing attention to the highly controversial issue of Israel promoting secession in Somalia despite the ongoing genocide in Palestine, is likely to place further pressure on President Abdullahi, who is believed to have dealt the Somaliland administration a setback by forming relations with a state accused of genocide.

© Puntland Post, 2026