Turkey and Israel at loggerheads over influence in Middle East and Africa
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo an has termed Israel's recognition of Somaliland as illegitimate, and concerns have been raised within Turkey regarding the regional advantage Israel stands to gain from recognizing Somaliland.
Turkey and Israel at loggerheads over influence in the region.
New Delhi: A new tension is emerging between Turkey and Israel. At the heart of this tension lies the struggle for control over the Arabian Sea, with Somalia and Somaliland becoming the primary 'battleground.' Turkey has significantly strengthened its ties with Somalia; under these agreements, it has secured rights to explore for oil and gas both offshore and onshore. Furthermore, Turkey maintains a robust military presence in Somalia through its largest overseas training base. On the other hand, Israel has made a bold strategic move to expand its regional influence by recognizing Somaliland a territory that seceded from Somalia as an independent nation.
Israel recognizes Somaliland
Under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has become the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent state. Israel is now actively working on plans to establish a military base near the Gulf of Aden. This move would enable it to monitor Yemen's Houthi rebels and significantly enhance its strategic access to the Red Sea shipping lanes.
Turkey Secures Access to Somalia's Energy Reserves
Earlier this year, Somalia confirmed that Turkey is poised to commence offshore oil drilling operations. Estimates suggest that Somalia's territorial waters hold reserves of at least 30 billion barrels of oil and 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas. However, the majority of these reserves within Somalia's territory have yet to be fully proven.
Since 2011, Turkey has emerged as one of Somalia's closest allies. It provides Somalia with humanitarian aid, military training, and investment for infrastructure development. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also unveiled plans for Ankara to construct a 'spaceport' (space center) in Somalia.
Israel Turns Toward Somaliland
Last year, Israel recognized Somaliland and outlined plans to establish a military base there. The objective of this base is to monitor Yemen's Houthi rebels while simultaneously securing strategic access to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Somaliland's coastline lies directly across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen.
Turkey has strongly criticized Israel's move to recognize Somaliland. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo an has termed Israel's recognition of Somaliland as illegitimate. Concerns have been raised within Turkey regarding the regional advantage Israel stands to gain from recognizing Somaliland.
Rising Tensions Between Ankara and Tel Aviv
Tensions between Turkey and Israel are deepening. Beyond the context of Somalia and Somaliland, friction between Turkey and Israel has intensified over issues concerning Gaza, Syria, and broader displays of regional power. This has accelerated the growing geopolitical rivalry between these two military powers. Israel is displeased with Turkey's efforts to expand its influence in the Eastern Mediterranean particularly in the vicinity of Cyprus and Greece.
Somalia and Somaliland remain at the epicenter of the Israel-Turkey rivalry in the Horn of Africa. This broader dispute represents a major battle for influence, spanning from the Red Sea across to the Middle East. In this context, both military powers are striving to consolidate their regional reach.
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