Time for Trump to Recognize Somaliland

This article, “Time for Trump to recognize Somaliland,” by Michael Rubin, argues that the United States, under President Trump, should recognize Somaliland as an independent nation in response to Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom recognizing a Palestinian state.

Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

• Criticism of Western Recognition of Palestine: The author criticizes Australia, Canada, and the UK for recognizing a Palestinian state, arguing that it rewards Hamas terrorism and undermines previous agreements that linked recognition to Palestinian acceptance of Israel and renunciation of terrorism.

• Somaliland as a Counter-Example: The author presents Somaliland as a more deserving candidate for recognition. They highlight Somaliland’s history of self-governance, its democratic institutions, its focus on infrastructure development rather than terrorism, and the fact that it has built a functioning country with little international aid. In contrast, the author criticizes the Palestinian Authority for corruption and promoting terrorism.

• Historical Context: The author points out that Somaliland has a longer history as a distinct entity than the would-be Palestinian state and that Somaliland has governed itself longer since reclaiming its independence in 1991 than it was part of Somalia.

• Moral Argument: The author argues that recognizing Somaliland would demonstrate that the U.S. stands for freedom, liberty, and decolonization, as opposed to violence and terrorism.

• Call to Action: The article concludes by urging President Trump to formally recognize Somaliland and to tell the Palestinians that they will only achieve statehood when they follow Somaliland’s model of governance and development.

The complete piece is as follows:

Time for Trump to recognize Somaliland

By Michael Rubin

Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom formally recognized a Palestinian state. Their collective action both rewarded Hamas terrorism — notably, Hamas still holds its Jewish hostages — and shredded the basis of previously negotiated agreements that tied recognition to Palestinian acceptance of Israel and foreswearing of terrorism. Frankly, Israel would now be legally within its rights to permanently reoccupy Gaza and turn the clock back to pre-1993.

The Australian, Canadian, and British leadership seek to pander to their own increasingly radical constituencies, though they will couch their rhetoric in the logic of building momentum. The U.K.’s willingness to recognize a Palestinian state is also a deliberate finger in the eye of President Donald Trump. He should certainly see it as such.

It is no longer the 19th century, and so British recognition of a Palestinian state, let alone that of Canada and Australia, means absolutely nothing. Contrary to arguments that Israel “occupies” Gaza, the would-be state has never been a stand-alone entity. Control over disputed territories passed from the Ottomans to the British to the Jordanians and Egyptians. It is telling that neither Jordan nor Egypt recognized the West Bank and Gaza as a Palestinian state. Most Palestinians came from outside the region, as early 20th-century censuses show.

If Canberra, Ottawa, and London — the Axis of Pandering — wish to promote a Palestinian state, Washington should lead by moral clarity: It should recognize Somaliland.

Consider the two cases: Hyperventilating progressives citing Hamas aside, there has been no genocide, let alone starvation, in Gaza. Major newspapers shamed themselves by posting photos of cerebral palsy victims and those with other severe conditions, seeking to deceive audiences into believing they represent ordinary Gazans. Some pre-cropped photos even show fat terrorists in the background. Meanwhile, there has been a real and documented genocide in Somaliland, where Somali forces under Dictator Siad Barre sought to eradicate the Isaaq clan.

Unlike Gaza, Somaliland has a long history as an entity and can actually trace its rulers back centuries. In 1960, approximately 30 countries recognized its independence. It subsequently chose union with Italian Somaliland, a marriage that failed spectacularly because of Siad Barre. Since 1991, Somaliland reclaimed its independence, though it remains unrecognized. Somaliland has governed itself for longer than it was part of Somalia.

While the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency are essentially elaborate money laundering operations, Somaliland has built a functioning country without any meaningful international aid. While Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, serves his 20th year of a four-year term, Somaliland elects its leaders regularly, becoming the first nation in the world to use biometric iris scans to secure voter registration and prevent fraud.

Most importantly, while Palestinians extort money and leverage sympathy based on their own terrorism, Somaliland has built a democratic culture that invests money into infrastructure rather than terrorist tunnels.

When Trump takes the podium in New York, he should show the world that he truly stands for freedom, liberty, and decolonization rather than violence, antisemitism, and terrorism. He should announce the formal U.S. recognition of Somaliland and tell the Palestinians that they will achieve their state only when they follow the Somaliland model. There can be no shortcuts or legitimization of terrorism.