A Region Divided: Somaliland’s Israeli Recognition Sparks Street Protests in Mogadishu

As an Israeli flag flew high over government buildings in Hargeisa this weekend, symbolizing a controversial new diplomatic pact, the streets of Borama told a different story. Hundreds of demonstrators, predominantly youth, flooded the town on Sunday, waving Palestinian flags and brandishing placards condemning Israel, in a direct rebuke of their own administration’s political triumph.

The protests erupted in response to Israeli Prime Minister’s formal recognition of Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia that has sought international sovereignty for over three decades. While the move was hailed as a historic victory by authorities in the capital, Hargeisa—who declared two days of official celebration—it has exposed raw political and ideological fractures within the territory itself.

“This is not in our name,” declared one young protester in Borama, who asked not to be identified. “We stand with Palestine, not with an occupier. Our administration’s celebration is a betrayal of a just cause.”

The scene in Borama presents an acute public relations challenge for the Hargeisa administration, which had hoped to present a unified front following what it calls a “landmark” step toward international legitimacy. Instead, the visible dissent underscores a significant undercurrent of local opposition, fueled by solidarity with Palestine and skepticism over the deal’s long-term benefits.

Fear of Widening Unrest

There is growing concern among officials that the discontent could ignite further protests across other parts of Somaliland, transforming a moment of diplomatic achievement into a major domestic crisis. The administration had portrayed Israel’s recognition as a decisive win for the Somaliland people, but the Borama protests suggest a more complex and divided populace.

The controversy extends far beyond Somaliland’s borders. The recognition has been met with sharp international disapproval, further complicating the region’s quest for statehood. The African Union, the East African Community, and individual nations like Rwanda have reiterated their support for Somalia’s territorial integrity, rejecting the bilateral move as a violation of longstanding diplomatic norms.

A Broader Backlash Intensifies

The domestic unrest coincides with an escalating international and local backlash. In recent hours, Somaliland police arrested a prominent religious leader for publicly criticizing the Israeli deal, highlighting the administration’s sensitivity to dissent. Meanwhile, regional power Rwanda has formally aligned with Somalia, echoing the stance of major continental bodies and isolating Hargeisa’s diplomatic position.

Analysts suggest the Israeli recognition, while a symbolic boost for Somaliland’s sovereignty campaign, has come at a high cost. It has alienated traditional allies in the Muslim world, galvanized domestic opposition, and provided the Somali federal government in Mogadishu with renewed diplomatic ammunition.

For now, the contrasting images—of official flags flying in Hargeisa and protest flags waving in Borama—capture a territory at a crossroads, celebrating a hard-won recognition while grappling with its profound and potentially destabilizing consequences.