ABC News posted on 31 December 2025 an article titled "The Strategic Plays that May Have Driven Israel's Recognition of Somaliland" by Eric Tlozek.
Israel probably recognized Somaliland for the following reasons: to establish a presence to monitor Houthi activity in nearby Yemen, as a location for possible resettlement of Gazans from Palestine, and to counter the influence of Turkiye in the region.
Egypt's Al Dostor published on 29 December 2025 an article titled "A Dangerous Gamble. Two International Experts: Israeli Recognition of 'Somaliland' Turns It into a Military Base."
The Arabic-language article draws on analysis by me and an analyst at the Atlantic Council in Washington on the implications of Israel's formal recognition of Somaliland, the first such recognition by another country. It raises the question of possible recognition by other countries and identifies some of the challenges and new strategic considerations in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.
Reuters published on 14 March 2025 an article titled "Somalia and Somaliland Say No Talks on Resettling Palestinians from Gaza."
The Associated Press quoted US and Israeli officials as saying their governments had contacted officials from Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland to discuss their reaction to resettling Palestinians from Gaza. Sudanese and Somali officials responded they were unaware of any such contact but quickly rejected any such proposal. Somaliland officials also were unaware of any contact about resettlement.
Comment: Whether contact was or was not made, this is a really bad idea. War-torn Sudan and al-Shabaab-threatened Somalia are no place to go. Resettling Gazans in Somaliland would further complicate the fraught relationship between Somalia and Somaliland. And what about the Gazans? They do not appear to have any interest in being forcibly moved to the Horn of Africa.
Modern Diplomacy published on 30 May 2024 a commentary titled "Egypt and the 20th Anniversary of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum" by Nadia Helmy, Beni Suef University.
The author believes China's relations with Egypt are at their best and reflect Beijing's growing partnership with Arab countries, especially on the issue of Palestine.
The ChinaMed Observer posted on 13 December 2023 an analysis titled "High Hopes and Great Opportunities: The Egyptian Press Reflects on China's Role in the Israel-Hamas War" by Mariateresa Natuzzi.
The analysis looks at the Egyptian media's coverage of China's position on the Israel-Hamas war. It concludes, on the one hand, that Egyptian media appreciates Beijing's position on the war, which aligns closely with that of the Egyptian government. On the other hand, there is some skepticism that China will become an influential actor in this conflict.
The Associated Press posted on 6 January 2021 an article titled "Sudan Says It Signs Deal on Normalizing Ties with Israel" by Samy Magdy.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin just completed a visit to Egypt and Sudan, where the government in Khartoum signed the "Abraham Accords" that pave the way for Sudan to normalize relations with Israel. Mnuchin also discussed debt relief with the government of Sudan.
The European Council on Foreign Relations published on 3 November 2020 a commentary titled "How a Biden Win Could Transform US Policy in the Middle East and North Africa."
Anthony Dworkin commented on possible policy changes by Joe Biden in North Africa. He suggested Biden will be less attracted to Egypt's heavy-handed approach, which encourages radicalization and has reduced Egypt's importance as a regional power. Increased human rights violations in Egypt will raise a red flag and Biden will take a more balanced position on the Nile water dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia. Biden is likely to adopt the same priorities towards Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
Tarek Megerisi, commenting on policy towards Libya, said there is little indication US inertia will be shifted by Biden. On the other hand, Biden may be more critical of Egyptian, Turkish, and Emirati unilateralism, humanitarian violations, and general spoiling of UN and US positions in the region.
World Politics Review posted on 26 October 2020 a commentary titled "Sudan's Normalization with Israel Looks Like an American 'Quid pro Quo'" by Frederick Deknatel.
Sudan's agreement to begin the process of normalizing relations with Israel and paying compensation to the victims of the 1998 bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole look like a Trump administration quid pro quo for removing Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and receiving US humanitarian assistance.
The National Interest published on 24 October 2020 an article titled "Why the Muslim Middle East Supports China's Xinjiang Crackdown" by Adam Lammon.
The author suggests that Arab countries, including Morocco and Egypt in North Africa, and non-Arab Muslim countries in the Middle East support China's crackdown on Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang for several reasons. First, China has strong economic ties with most of these countries and can use these ties for political leverage. Second, the leaders of these countries loathe political Islam, which they associate with terrorism. They are willing to accept China's explanation for the crackdown on Uyghurs as a counterterrorism campaign.
The Washington Post published on 23 October 2020 an article titled "Sudan and Israel Agree to Normalize Ties, the Third Such Accord since August" by Anne Gearan and Steve Hendrix.
President Trump announced on 23 October 2020 that Sudan and Israel agreed to begin the process of normalizing relations. This follows agreement by the Trump administration to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in exchange for depositing $335 million for the victims of attacks during the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole off Aden.
My comment: There is no link between removal of Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and Sudan's normalization of relations with Israel except that it was a useful ploy by the Trump administration to put pressure on Sudan to achieve a domestic political victory before the November election. The fact that Sudan is now in the process of normalizing relations with Israel is a realistic and positive move so long as it does not upend the process toward democratic government in Sudan during a politically sensitive period in the country.
