'There has been communication' between Somalia and Israel says Deputy Foreign Minister

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said Wednesday that Israel has had "certain communication" with the government of Somalia, suggesting that the dialogue concerns a shared interest in fending off Houthi influence in the country in the Horn of Africa.

Haskel made the comments during a wide-ranging interview with i24NEWS. Israel and Somalia, a solidly Muslim country and member of the Arab League, do not have diplomatic relations.

"I think that the situation there is very dangerous," Haskel said, "and I think it will affect the rest of the world."

"The Houthis are pushing them. Somalia will have a major effect on the economy, on fisheries, on maritime sea travel routes and goods that are passing through there."

A UN report earlier this year noted a "developing relationship" between Yemen's Houthis and the Al-Shabaab Islamist group across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in Somalia.

Regarding Africa in general, Haskel added that Israel "has relationships with almost every government on the continent." Relations with Africa have been a focus of Haskel's work as deputy minister.

Asked about Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Haskel said statements by them have damaged Israel. But, she added, under the norms of Israeli politics, their statements do not represent the government.

In any case, she said, former prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak have "spread blood libels, lies, and fabrications" about Israel and damaged the country far more. Olmert said two weeks ago on i24NEWS that Israel "may have committed crimes" in Gaza.

Haskel has made headlines in recent weeks for her opposition—even as a serving deputy minister—to the coalition's draft bill on the drafting (or exemptions to the military draft) for Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) yeshiva students. Tuesday, Haskel finished a three-day, 90-kilometer (56-mile) march from her home in Kfar Saba in central Israel to Jerusalem to dramatize her opposition to the bill from within the government.

Haskel said that beyond those coalition legislators who (like her) have come out publicly against the Haredi draft bill, a number of others have privately told her they are leery.

"I think that there are fourteen [coalition] members [of Knesset] who feel uncomfortable with voting in favor of this bill," she said, more than the eight who have said so publicly.

Haskel has refused to follow her mentor Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and rejoin the ruling Likud Party. Asked repeatedly in the interview about her political future, Haskel would not rule out joining the Bennett 2026 Party (led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett) or the opposition Yisrael Beitenu Party (led by Israeli political fixture Avigdor Liberman).

She also would not rule out forming her own party ahead of elections next year.