Somaliland Says Israel-Palestine Conflict Is Not About Religion
Somaliland’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, says the Israel-Palestine conflict is driven by political and territorial disputes rather than religion, while defending Somaliland’s growing diplomatic engagement with Israel following its recognition of the self-declared republic.
HARGEISA (Somali Report) — Somaliland’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, has argued that the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is fundamentally political rather than religious, while defending Somaliland’s decision to strengthen ties with Israel following its recent recognition of the self-declared republic.
Speaking in Hargeisa after President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro) returned from his official visit to Israel, Khadar said Somaliland continues to support the Palestinian people and opposes injustice, but insisted that foreign policy should be guided by national interests rather than religious emotions.
“It is right for us to support the Palestinian cause,” the minister said. “But the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians is not about religion. They are fighting over land and other political interests.”
Khadar argued that successive rounds of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, including those dating back to the Camp David peace process, focused on territory, borders, security, and political arrangements rather than religion.
“The parties have always negotiated over what they should agree on,” he said, adding that Palestinian leaders themselves have repeatedly sought negotiated settlements with Israel.
The minister also defended Somaliland’s diplomatic engagement with Israel, describing Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an act of justice after more than three decades of Somaliland’s campaign for international recognition.
“The greatest injustice we have faced is that the world has told us we do not exist,” Khadar said. “Israel acknowledged that injustice.”
He further argued that some countries employ religion as a foreign policy tool to advance strategic interests, citing Saudi Arabia as an example.
“What comes from Saudi Arabia is not only religion,” he said. “We also need to understand it through the lens of politics and foreign policy.”
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According to Khadar, Somaliland and Israel have reached an understanding based on mutual diplomatic recognition and cooperation while respecting each other’s religious identities.
“We agreed that they recognize us, we recognize them, and that diplomatic relations exist between us. They keep their religion, and we keep ours,” he said.
However, the minister’s remarks have triggered criticism inside Somaliland.
Prominent Somaliland human rights lawyer Guleed Dafac warned that redefining the nature of the Israel-Palestine conflict could unnecessarily divide Somaliland society and draw the territory into geopolitical disputes far beyond its own interests.
“The conflict in Palestine cannot simply be redefined today because the parties themselves believe religion forms part of the dispute,” Dafac said. “Somaliland should focus on its political and diplomatic relations and avoid becoming entangled in the wider conflicts of the Middle East.”
Poet Yusuf Shaacir also rejected the minister’s assessment, arguing that the conflict involves both land and religion.
“They are fighting over both land and religion,” Shaacir said. “If you have chosen Israel, we remain with the Palestinian people and continue praying for them.”
The debate follows President Cirro’s landmark visit to Israel, during which he met senior Israeli leaders after Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland. The visit has intensified regional debate over Somaliland’s evolving foreign policy as Somalia continues to reject Israel’s recognition, describing it as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
About the Author
Fatuma Taxadar Yusuf is the Editor-in-Chief of the Somali Report and a Somali journalist with over a decade of experience in broadcasting and editorial leadership. She has worked with the BBC World Service and other leading media outlets in Somalia. She is also the Deputy Chair of the Somalia Media Council, the independent body regulating media standards and professional conduct in Somalia.