Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Somalia

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Yemenite Jewish traders in Berbera and Mogadishu, Somalia's refusal of diplomatic ties, reports of Gaza resettlement approaches, the 2025 recognition of Somaliland, Somali and regional reactions, claims of a base near the Bab el-Mandeb, Berbera and the role of the UAE


Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Somalia include small communities of Yemenite Jewish traders in Berbera, Zeila and Mogadishu that had largely left by 1949,[1] Somalia's long refusal to establish diplomatic relations with "Israel",[2] and the Zionist state's recognition on 26 December 2025 of the breakaway Republic of Somaliland, the first by any UN member state.[3][4] Somalia called the recognition an attack on its sovereignty and accused "Israel" of seeking a military base and a destination for Palestinians expelled from Gaza, claims that Somaliland denied.[5][6]

Jewish community and religious life

History

According to Asher Lubotzky of the Africa-Israel Relations Institute, archival documents show that several hundred Jews from Yemen crossed the Gulf of Aden in the late 19th century to settle in the northern ports of Berbera and Zeila, in what became British Somaliland. Records of the Alliance Israélite Universelle show that the community spread to the southern ports of Brava, Mogadishu and Obbia. Research by the historian Yosef Tobi found that the Jewish population of the Somali towns peaked at about 300 in the early 20th century, mostly in Berbera and Mogadishu. Several communities had synagogues, most of which were destroyed after the Italian Fascists came to power in the 1930s. Most Jews left after the Zionist state was declared in 1948, and a 1949 Jewish Telegraphic Agency report said that only three remained in Somaliland and that they intended to leave once they had wound up the others' affairs from Djibouti.[1]

The author Nancy Kobrin corresponded from 2007 to 2009 with a young Jewish man who lived with his widowed mother in Mogadishu; in 2010 they moved to Aden. "As far as we know, that marked the end of Jewish life in the area," Kobrin told the Times of Israel. The Yibir, a marginalised Somali clan, have an oral tradition of ancient Jewish origins, but scholars are generally sceptical and DNA testing has found no markers associated with other Jewish groups.[1]

The community today

There are no Jews known to be living in Somaliland,[1] and no Jewish community in Somalia was found in the sources consulted.

How far is it Zionist? No Jewish organisation operates in Somalia or Somaliland. Most of the historic community left after 1948,[1] but no evidence of organised Zionist activity among them was found.

Chabad

Main article: Chabad-Lubavitch movement

There is no Chabad Bot page for Somalia, the Times of Israel noted in January 2026 that Somaliland has no Chabad house,[1] and the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States lists no rabbi there.[7]

Zionist movement and advocacy

No Zionist organisation operating in Somalia or Somaliland was found. Outside the country, Israeli and Zionist think tanks have argued for using Somaliland against Ansar Allah (the Houthis): a November 2025 report by the Institute for National Security Studies said that "Somaliland's territory could serve as a forward base" for intelligence monitoring of Ansar Allah and "a platform for direct operations" against them,[6] and in June 2026 the Middle East Forum published an article headed "Israel Is Negotiating a Military Base at Berbera".[8]

Israeli state and commercial ties

Somalia and "Israel"

In the early 1960s Somalia and Mauritania were the only newly independent states south of the Sahara that refused to establish diplomatic relations with "Israel". Writing for the Moshe Dayan Center in 2021, Irit Back called Somalia "arguably the most hardline African state south of the Sahara" on the issue. In 2019 a director at the Somali foreign ministry, Abdullahi Dool, was fired over tweets about "Israel" and Palestine, and occasional rumours of preliminary contacts have been "consistently denied by the Somali side".[2] Moshe Terdiman of the Israeli think tank Mitvim wrote in 2018 that "Israel" had worked from the 1990s onwards with Djibouti, Somaliland and Somalia to secure freedom of navigation in the southern Red Sea, and that there had been contact in recent years between the Israeli and Somali heads of state.[9]

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute records an African Union order in 2017 for three Israeli Aerostar reconnaissance drones, delivered in 2018, "For use by AU peacekeeping forces in Somalia; financed by USA".[10]

Gaza resettlement approaches, 2025

In March 2025 the Associated Press reported that US and Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, had confirmed contacts with Somalia and Somaliland, and US officials with Sudan, about resettling Palestinians from Gaza. Sudanese officials said they had rejected the approach, while Somali and Somaliland officials told AP they were unaware of any contacts. A US official said the United States was "having a quiet conversation with Somaliland about a range of areas where they can be helpful to the US in exchange for recognition". Somaliland's foreign minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adan, told Reuters that no proposal had been received.[11]

Trade

Neither Somalia nor Somaliland appears in the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics' table of trade by country.[12]

Somaliland

The 1960 recognition

British Somaliland became independent on 26 June 1960 and about a week later joined the former Italian Somaliland to form Somalia.[13] "Israel" is reported to have been among some 35 countries that recognised the State of Somaliland in that interval. In 2010 the Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor was quoted by Haaretz as saying that "Israel" had been the first state to recognise Somaliland in 1960 and was ready to recognise it again.[14] Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 but received no recognition from any state for more than three decades.[5] As late as 2018 Terdiman wrote that "Israel refuses to recognize Somaliland as an independent state",[9] and in 2021 Back judged the chances that "Israel" would be among the first to recognise it "scant".[2]

Recognition, December 2025

On 26 December 2025 the Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that Benjamin Netanyahu had officially recognised the Republic of Somaliland "as an independent and sovereign state". Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, signed a joint declaration which, the statement said, was made "in the spirit of the Abraham Accords". Netanyahu thanked Sa'ar and the director of the Mossad, David Barnea, for their role, invited the president to visit, and said "Israel" would quickly expand cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.[3] Netanyahu later told Newsmax that Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords.[6] Abdullahi, known as Cirro, said the recognition "is not a threat, not an act of hostility" to neighbouring countries.[15]

President Donald Trump told the New York Post the same day that he would not follow suit: "Just say, 'No.'" He was also dismissive of Somaliland's offer of a port on the Gulf of Aden for a US naval base, but added, "Everything is under study."[16] At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on 29 December 2025, the US deputy representative, Tammy Bruce, defended the Israeli decision but said, "we have no announcement to make regarding U.S. recognition of Somaliland. And there has been no change in American policy."[17][18] The Israeli representative told the Council that "Israel" had been among 35 countries that recognised Somaliland in 1960 and called the recognition "neither provocative nor novel".[18]

Somalia's position and regional reactions

The Somali government said it would treat any "declaration, recognition or arrangement" undermining its territorial integrity as "null and void" and would not permit foreign military bases that could draw it into proxy conflicts.[18] Addressing an emergency joint session of parliament on 28 December 2025, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Netanyahu had committed the "greatest abuse" of Somalia's sovereignty in its history, called "Israel" an "enemy", and promised that Somalia would not allow its territory to be used as a military base to attack other nations. Prime Minister Hamza Barre said "Israel" was "searching for a foothold in the Horn of Africa".[15] At the Security Council, Somalia's representative rejected "any attempt by Israel to relocate the Palestinian population from Gaza to the north-west region of Somalia".[18]

On 27 December 2025 the foreign ministers of 21 states (Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, the Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, the Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Türkiye and Yemen), together with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, condemned the recognition "in the strongest terms" and rejected "any potential link between such measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land".[19] The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, firmly rejected "any initiative or action aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent entity",[20] and on 6 January 2026 the AU Peace and Security Council said it "strongly condemns and rejects" the recognition and called for its immediate revocation.[21] The Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council and China also condemned it.[22] At the Security Council the Arab League's observer said "Israel" was seeking a pretext for an "illegal presence" on Somali soil, with plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians and "the exploitation of northern Somali ports to build military bases".[18]

On 28 December the Ansar Allah leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, said: "We consider any Israeli presence in Somaliland a military target for our armed forces, as it constitutes aggression against Somalia and Yemen, and a threat to the security of the region."[23]

Claims of a base and of Palestinian resettlement

In an interview with Al Jazeera from Istanbul on 30 December 2025, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that, according to Somali intelligence, Somaliland had accepted three Israeli conditions in return for recognition: the resettlement of Palestinians, an Israeli military base on the Gulf of Aden coast, and joining the Abraham Accords. He also said Somali intelligence indicated that there was already some Israeli presence in Somaliland.[5] Somaliland's foreign ministry dismissed the claims as baseless, saying its engagement with "Israel" was "purely diplomatic".[6] Sa'ar told Israel's Channel 14 that the forcible displacement of Palestinians to Somaliland "was not part of our agreement", but a Somaliland ministry official, Deqa Qasim, told Channel 12 that an Israeli military base was "on the table and being discussed". In January 2026 Somalia's defence minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, said Somalia had "confirmed information that Israel has a plan to transfer Palestinians" to Somaliland.[24]

In March 2026 Agence France-Presse reported that experts saw the UAE as "a key player" in the recognition and that "it is possible that Israeli forces are already present in the Berbera military base". A Western diplomat spoke of "a widespread assumption that there is an Israeli military or security presence that is already in the country", while Hargeisa, which had initially denied negotiations on a base, now said "nothing is off the table". Al-Shabaab said it would oppose any Israeli use of Somaliland.[25] In June 2026 the Middle East Forum, citing Drop Site News, reported claims by Somali, EU and Somaliland officials that "Israel" had established an intelligence presence at Berbera International Airport, and said that high ground about 60 miles west of Berbera was under consideration for an Israeli installation.[8] Abdullahi told the Israeli channel i24 that there was no current plan for a military base but that he "cannot rule out" one.[4] None of these reports of an Israeli base has been officially confirmed.

Sa'ar's visit and the state visit of 2026

Sa'ar visited Hargeisa on 6 January 2026. A joint statement by 22 countries and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation called the trip a "clear violation" of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.[24] Meeting the president and Somaliland's military chief of staff, Sa'ar said "Israel" sought a "strategic partnership" including defence cooperation.[4]

In June 2026 Abdullahi made the first state visit by a Somaliland leader to "Israel". He was received by President Isaac Herzog, who said the two countries "both face the threat of radical extremism",[26] visited Yad Vashem and the Knesset, and met Netanyahu, who said, "we remember as the Jewish people, a small people, who asked for the recognition of their rights from the world". Somaliland formally opened an embassy in West Jerusalem, with Sa'ar attending, and a strategic cooperation agreement was signed.[4] Somaliland officials said the Strategic Joint Declaration of Cooperation covered agriculture, water management, security, technology, investment and infrastructure.[27]

Berbera and the role of the UAE

Somaliland licensed its port of Berbera to the Emirati company DP World in 2016,[22] and in 2018 Terdiman noted that the UAE had leased and was building a base at the port.[9] In January 2024 Ethiopia signed a bilateral deal with Somaliland to lease Berbera port, which led to a dispute with Somalia mediated by Turkey.[22] The UAE was a notable exception among the states condemning the Israeli recognition and did not sign the 6 January 2026 communiqué against Sa'ar's visit.[22] In January 2026 Somalia's federal government cancelled all its port management and security cooperation agreements with the UAE. Omar Mahmoud of the International Crisis Group told the BBC that Somalia "believes the UAE played a behind-the-scenes role in supporting the outcome" and that the region was "increasingly defined by divergent geopolitical blocs, with the UAE and Israel on one side, and Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others on the other".[28] AFP reported that the UAE had recently expanded its military base near Berbera, and Berbera's port authority expected a "tremendous increase" in traffic from the Israeli recognition.[25] Analysts told ABC News that the main Israeli aim was a base against Ansar Allah across the Gulf of Aden.[29]

Migration and aliyah

Most of the Jews of the Somali towns left after 1948.[1] The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics does not list Somalia separately in its table of immigrants by country of birth.[30]

Political interference

Somalia regards the Israeli recognition of Somaliland as a direct attack on its sovereignty and territorial integrity,[24][18] and the African Union has called for it to be revoked.[21] Somali leaders have accused "Israel" of seeking a military foothold on the Gulf of Aden and a destination for Palestinians from Gaza;[5][15] Somaliland and Israeli officials have denied the resettlement claims, while leaving a base open.[6][24][4]

Jeffrey Epstein

On 2 April 2018 Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, whose company DP World runs Berbera port (see above), emailed Jeffrey Epstein four documents making the case for recognising Somaliland: "a brief history", "achievements against all the odds", "in the interests of the world" and "growing international engagement and support".[31] In August 2012 a correspondent, copying Epstein, proposed building a film studio in Somaliland to be called "SOMALIWOOD STUDIOS".[32] On 11 June 2013 Epstein asked a correspondent: "somaliland , yemen, comoros island , are there any gates program there". The reply was "No".[33]

See also

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Zev Stub, Somaliland's little-known Jewish past spans Yemenite traders and contested legends The Times of Israel, 1 January 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Irit Back, Israel and the Horn of Africa: What are the Odds with the Countries That Still Don't Recognize Israel? Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, 29 April 2021.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ynetnews, Netanyahu announces Israel will recognize Republic of Somaliland Ynetnews, 26 December 2025.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Faisal Ali, Israel fetes Somaliland's leader as it seeks to expand Red Sea influence Al Jazeera, 20 June 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Al Jazeera, Israel's Somaliland move all about 'strategic objectives': Somali president Al Jazeera, 31 December 2025.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Al Jazeera, Somaliland denies agreeing to host Israeli bases, resettle Palestinians Al Jazeera, 1 January 2026.
  7. ↑ Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, The Rabbis rabbisalliance.org, accessed 21 October 2026 (Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States-side).
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Siyad Madey, Israel Is Negotiating a Military Base at Berbera Middle East Forum, 20 June 2026 (Middle East Forum-side).
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Moshe Terdiman, The Boiling Water of the Red Sea Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, September 2018.
  10. ↑ Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI Arms Transfers Database SIPRI, accessed 20 October 2026.
  11. ↑ Al Jazeera, US, Israel want to displace Palestinians from Gaza to East Africa: Report Al Jazeera, 14 March 2025.
  12. ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Foreign Trade Statistics Monthly, Table D1: Trade Countries – Imports and Exports CBS, December 2025 issue (library copy) (Israeli government-side).
  13. ↑ SomTribune, Reliving Israeli Recognition of Somaliland of 1960 Now A Game Changer SomTribune, 31 August 2020.
  14. ↑ Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, Somaliland: Israel says ready to recognize Somaliland UNPO, 12 February 2010 (archived).
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Al Jazeera, Somalia condemns Israel's recognition of Somaliland as 'naked invasion' Al Jazeera, 28 December 2025.
  16. ↑ New York Post, Trump not ready to embrace Somaliland independence — unlike Netanyahu New York Post, 26 December 2025.
  17. ↑ United States Mission to the United Nations, Remarks at a UN Security Council Emergency Meeting on Somaliland usun.usmission.gov, 29 December 2025.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 United Nations, Israel's Recognition of Somaliland Triggers Sharp Divides, as Security Council Speakers Warn Move Threatens Stability in Horn of Africa UN Meetings Coverage and Press Releases, SC/16270, 29 December 2025.
  19. ↑ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Joint Statement by 21 Arab, Islamic, and African nations stressing their unequivocal rejection of Israel's recognition of the Somaliland region Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, 27 December 2025 (Qatari government-side).
  20. ↑ African Union, The Chairperson of the African Union Commission rejects any recognition of Somaliland and reaffirms the African Union's unwavering commitment to the unity and sovereignty of Somalia African Union, 26 December 2025.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 African Union Peace and Security Council, Communiqué on the preservation of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and stability of the Federal Republic of Somalia PSC/MIN/COMM.1324 (2026), 6 January 2026, via AUSSOM.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Middle East Eye, Red Sea crisis: What do Israel and the UAE want from Somaliland? Middle East Eye, 11 February 2026.
  23. ↑ Al Jazeera, Any Israeli presence in Somaliland will be a 'target': Houthi leader Al Jazeera, 28 December 2025.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Al Jazeera, Somali minister says Israel plans to displace Palestinians to Somaliland Al Jazeera, 11 January 2026.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Agence France-Presse, Somaliland's Israel deal could put Berbera port at risk France 24, 2 March 2026.
  26. ↑ Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Herzog hosts the President of Somaliland on his first state visit to Israel embassies.gov.il, 14 June 2026 (Israeli government-side).
  27. ↑ Horn Diplomat, Somaliland, Israel Sign Strategic Partnership as President Irro Meets Netanyahu Horn Diplomat, 15 June 2026.
  28. ↑ Bushra Mohamed, Why the UAE has incurred the wrath of Somalia BBC News, 15 January 2026.
  29. ↑ Sally Sara, Why Israel's recognition of Somaliland is considered controversial ABC News (Australia), 1 January 2026.
  30. ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Statistical Abstract of Israel 2024, Table 2.55: Immigrants, by period of immigration, country of birth and last country of residence CBS, 2024 (Israeli government-side).
  31. ↑ Emails from Sultan bin Sulayem to Jeffrey Epstein on the recognition of Somaliland, 2 April 2018, US Department of Justice Epstein files release, Data Set 9, EFTA00842525 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  32. ↑ Email copied to Jeffrey Epstein, "i had a fun idea", 9 August 2012, US Department of Justice Epstein files release, Data Set 10, EFTA01876256 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  33. ↑ Email to Jeffrey Epstein, "Re:", 11 June 2013, US Department of Justice Epstein files release, Data Set 9, EFTA00962987 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
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