This could be good news.

A Somalilander friend has sent an email to tell me about this article:

http://somalilandpress.com/11628/israel-says-ready-to-recognize-somaliland/

The government of Israel is ready to restore the de jure recognition it has offered to Somaliland in 1960 as it eyes the Red Sea and the Horn, an Israeli spokesman says.

...

Many analysts believe Israel has growing national interest in the Red Sea region, a key shipping route. According to well-informed regional sources Israel believes the region is also a key route for arms from Iran for Hezbollah, Sudanese regime and number of other groups in Palestine. The Red Sea gives Israeli ships access to the Arabia Sea and are within cruise-missile range of Iran. Israel also concern about Arab nations such as Egypt blocking it’s commercial shipping lines.

There are unconfirmed reports also suggesting Israel wants to deploy submarines in the Somaliland port of Berbera and possibly establish a military outpost. Many Arab states have in the past expressed concerns about the proposed Israeli-base in the Horn of Africa seeing it as Israel surrounding them.

...

It is no secret to Somaliland though, the former president, Mr Ibrahim Haji Egal addressed the very issue in a letter to the former Israeli head of state, Mr Yitshak Rabin in 1995. Fifteen years ago, Mr Egal saw the threat of Islamic fundamentalism and the importance of Bab El-Mandeb.

Mr Egal, who became prime minister of Somaliland at the age of only 30, wrote: “Today, however, although the West had won the cold war and the threat of communism appears to be vanishing in many parts of the world, we, in the Horn of Africa, are being threatened by a more sinister and pernicious enemy in the form of encroaching Islamic influence.”

The article gives as its source an article in Haaretz last week:

According to a local source, Golisnews, Mr. Yigal Palmor, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman is quoted on the Israeli newspaper of Haaretz Daily

I have asked a friend in Israel to track down the paper and send me a photograph of the article.

Somaliland supporters have set up a blog (http://friendsofsomaliland.blogspot.com/) to respond to Israel's apparent support for their country.

The article goes on to explain that

Somaliland, like Israel, finds itself politically isolated, in the middle of a hostile region and at a thorny crossroads and if anyone is to reach out to the unrecognized republic, it would be Israel. It too knows how it feels to be denied it’s statehood and self-determination. While Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, Somaliland is the only Muslim democracy in the region.

after taking a look at why Somaliland's (internationally not recognised) government has in the past ignored Israel:

It is no secret to Somaliland though, the former president, Mr Ibrahim Haji Egal addressed the very issue in a letter to the former Israeli head of state, Mr Yitshak Rabin in 1995. Fifteen years ago, Mr Egal saw the threat of Islamic fundamentalism and the importance of Bab El-Mandeb.

Mr Egal, who became prime minister of Somaliland at the age of only 30, wrote: “Today, however, although the West had won the cold war and the threat of communism appears to be vanishing in many parts of the world, we, in the Horn of Africa, are being threatened by a more sinister and pernicious enemy in the form of encroaching Islamic influence.”

Mr Egal continues, “my government firmly believes that owing to this region’s strategic geopolitical importance as a result of its propinquity to the oil routes and the narrow Bab El-Mandeb entrance, as well as its proximity to the Gulf, the Middle East and the access to the Indian Ocean.”

Egal, who was a champion politician, died May 3rd 2002 in the South African capital Pretoria. He was succeeded by the current leader, Mr. Dahir Rayale, who is said to have avoided approaching Israel in order not to harm Somaliland’s current fragile relations with the Arabs and Muslim world, which it heavily relies on for it’s only surviving economic engines – livestock.

However many of the youths in Somaliland believe ties with Israel is better for Somaliland’s economic environment because of it’s economical and technological achievements. Many argue livestock is not sustainable economy because of health issues, climate change and urbanisation and prefer developing economy based on service and high-tech sector, similar to that one of Israel and Taiwan.

If this is true this is indeed good news.

Somaliland is a country that actually wants a Zionist conspiracy and Israeli troops in their land. They have land and they have people, what they need is a technology partner and protection. And Israel, of course, needs farmland for her irrigation technology, a military base on the far end of the Red Sea, allies in general and Muslim allies specifically.

Somaliland can also server as a connection between Christian southern Sudan and Ethiopia to the ocean.

It's an alliance made in heaven.