When History Took a Turn for Somaliland: Thanks to Israel, by Mohamed Osman, is a contemporary geopolitical analysis examining the implications of Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland on December 26, 2025. Published in early 2026, the book documents a pivotal moment in the Horn of Africa, arguing that this diplomatic act marked the transition of Somaliland from prolonged international ambiguity to partial legal recognition. Osman presents the recognition not as an isolated gesture, but as the culmination of long-term internal state-building aligned with shifting regional security dynamics.

At its core, the book analyzes the evolving bilateral relationship between Israel and Somaliland and situates it within broader geopolitical transformations affecting the Red Sea region. Somaliland, which has functioned as a de facto state since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, is portrayed as a political entity that achieved internal sovereignty long before gaining external acknowledgment. Osman contends that Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland reflects a pragmatic recalibration of regional alliances driven by maritime security concerns, strategic necessity, and ideological affinity.

A central conceptual framework in the book is what Osman terms the “Mountain Strategy,” derived from a Somali proverb: “Either be a mountain or lean on a mountain.” He uses this metaphor to describe Somaliland’s trajectory. For more than three decades, Somaliland focused on building internal........

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