What Is Somaliland, and Do We Have to Care About It?

Israel has done it again. The Jewish state has gotten itself condemned by such unimpeachable international actors as the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, and the African Union after Jerusalem formally recognized the independence of the breakaway state of Somaliland on December 26.

Israel’s extension of geopolitical legitimacy to the East African polity represents a “clear violation of international law,” according to the Arab League’s Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and “sets a dangerous precedent that threatens regional and international security and stability.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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Israel has done it again. The Jewish state has gotten itself condemned by such unimpeachable international actors as the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, and the African Union after Jerusalem formally recognized the independence of the breakaway state of Somaliland on December 26.

Israel’s extension of geopolitical legitimacy to the East African polity represents a “clear violation of international law,” according to the Arab League’s Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and “sets a dangerous precedent that threatens regional and international security and stability.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.