Somaliland has rejected accusations that it agreed to host Israeli military facilities and resettle displaced Palestinians from Gaza in exchange for recognition by Israel.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday dismissed the claims as baseless, saying its engagement with Israel was “purely diplomatic” and conducted “in full respect of international law”.
The denial came in response to allegations by Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who told Al Jazeera that Somaliland had accepted three conditions from Israel: The resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of a military base on the Gulf of Aden coast, and joining the Abraham Accords to normalise ties with Israel.
Reports began circulating earlier this year that Somaliland was interested in assisting Israel’s widely condemned aim of ethnically cleansing Palestinians, as officials in Hargeisa pushed for recognition.
Somaliland’s foreign minister said no talks had taken place on the issue but stopped short of rejecting the possibility, unlike other countries rumoured to be of interest to Israel.
Only the final condition has been publicly acknowledged.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Tuesday that Somaliland would join the Accords, telling United States media outlet Newsmax he wanted to “support a democratic, moderate country, a Muslim country, that wants to join the Abraham Accords”.
Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland as an independent state last week, ending more than three decades of failed bids by the breakaway region of Somalia.
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