antisemitism in next door Somalia, out of Arabia peninsula, of vilification by Islamists, and its sympathizers, some Somaliland youth deny Jewish historic presence in Somaliland widely documented in the book “ The Last Jews in Mogadishu: Living under Al-Shabab’s Fire” and the possible return of Jewish investors. History both old and recent indicates otherwise. Somaliland Protectorate during the British rule, Jews lived here in an ordinary neighborhoods because Somalilanders, Muslims as they are now, were quite respectful of Jews and other religions long before Saudi-funded Wahhabi books shipped in bulks. Sakutal Yuhuud, a neighborhood in Berbera seaport city where Jewish communities lived had taken the name of its residents back then“Jews’ Residential Area” is known to this day and age and nothing taboo about attending Mosque in Zakutul Yuhuud.
Ashaming Jews’ existence as a different God wrongly created and doomed them to remain stateless and damned forever is a recent fabrication born out of jealousness of the Jews’ success every sphere of life. Diehard Arabs tried to ignore Israelis’ existence and world Jewry. “Three-noes” in Khartoum has been one of sentimental policies that hit a brick wall because Israel is indispensable country in the global diplomacy, economy, and science. Arabs fall in love with Jews since the three noes which had reverse dominoes impact.
Norman Terret, a Jew from Scotland has been appointed to Somaliland government advisor on recognition and foster relationship between the State of Israel and Somaliland. “What attracted me to the role is that the people of Somaliland want a good relationship with Israel and the Western countries,” says Mr Terret, who has recently returned from Africa”. Jewish Chronicles reported”. He also said the people are no longer interested in extremism, it’s true. They realized hate or love Jews. They are God’s creation. Can think of one race which God created by accident and meaninglessly? Haters, mass murderers self-conceited, think of to correct God’s plan in the planet when murdering certain tribes.
Above all, a Jew visited Hargaysa like a normal guy without any bodyguards and talked to the people by revealing his Jewish identity and they embraced him who he was; he posted his experiment on youtube.com and above all, the reaction comments are heartwarming and encouraging indicating the walls of hatred is already demolished by the social media and the internet. They almost are all positive.
In a rigorous campaign to push religion back to mosques to govern the funerals and marriage affairs like it used to be prior to giant Wahhabism, Somaliland began to register names of the teachers, replace their uncensored, unchecked various curriculum with the national one, monitor their dubious activities to make sure no anti-western or anti-Semitism is entertained, and to deal with to those feed on hatred. Somaliland’s de-radicalization is based on stick-and-carrot diplomacy. The zealots who don’t walk the walk are invited to join politics of money and forced to sit next to Somaliland western returnee women so that his rigid ideologies are easily diluted. Once normalized, he get fired and replaced with another Imam with strong anti-Israeli views to melt among seas of cash and dining with beautiful women.
But those regularly condone terrorism are put behind bars and denied due process while human rights centers decline to speak for them because they crossed Somaliland’s red line.
Somaliland having secularized its foreign and investment policies like Turkey, Egypt and Jordan, there is no space for ugly extremism. The Imams who rain with anti-Semitism are kicked out of the altar to languish in dirty dungeons and the ordinary masses’ whose awareness raised never talk about the detention of the holier-than-thou Imams. Years later, the mob clergies are released because they guaranteed to self-adjust leaving the Gaza romanticizing and Israeli demonization because Somaliland wasn’t and isn’t a part of any war against the State of Israel. During Six Wars when Israeli’s mighty army conquered Golan Heights, South Lebanon, Sinai, and border incursions of Jordan, Somalilanders were unhappy Siyad Barre’s shipments of canned beef and fresh banana to Arabian Goliath army on their behalf.
Somalilanders are pro-western and pro-Jews; other Somalis hate Somaliland for its pronounced stand with suffering Jews. Being a part of the British Empire during the Second World War, Somaliland Seamen assisted in bringing Jews back to the Promised Land while Turkish construction engineers and Palestinian stonecutters and masons were busy in building villas for the incoming hapless Jews from Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and all over the Diaspora getting paid with hefty Shekels. Palestinians protested when Israeli economy fell short of supplying Shekels to them. In return, other unknowledgeable Muslims mistook money protest for religious dispute and sadly declared chaotic Jihad without considering if the circumstances and the time for Jihad were ripe.
Somaliland is independent like other country and can make ties with Israelis regardless of whoever frown their faces. Besides, Somaliland needs not only Israeli economic and military assistance to remain a bulwark against growing terror in the Horn of Africa but also needs world Jews to stand by Somaliland’s outright independence like Norman Terret. We will celebrate 28the anniversary next week on the graveyards of who fell martyrs for our land in a city that Foreign Policy FP called an Africa’s Dresden for its wanton destruction; I urge Israeli PM Netanyahu to congratulate us, of which my people will highly appreciate.
