"The (un)successful mission of Peace with Terrorists and Putinists"?!

2024-09-03 08:22:00, Opinione CNA

In the "capacity of National Security, Regional and NATO Expert", I continue to follow (24/7), with increased responsibility, the war "for/with Ukraine" as well as Israel's confrontation with a new wave of security escalation in the Middle East after the massacre of the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7, 2023.

In advance, I must clarify even more strongly that, as far as I deal in this opinion, as in any other case, they have nothing to do with prejudices on religious, ethnic, political, gender and color affiliation; but neither with the sovereign right of self-defense of national identity, territorial integrity; above all never with the lives of innocent citizens (suffering the consequences of terrorist, neo-Nazi, neo-Stalinist, or any other form of extremism and barbaric violence), whether Palestinian, Israeli, Arab, Russian, Ukrainian or any other country involved in armed conflicts.

To return to the subject of this opinion, I bring to your attention a list of the history of Israeli-Arab conflicts: "It has its roots in "historical Palestine", at the end of the 19th century, when Theodor Herzl's "Zionism" designed the Homeland Jews in Palestine. In 1948, David Ben-Gurion announced the establishment of the State of Israel (recognized by the UN on May 11, 1949), but also the start of the First Arab-Israeli War. In 1956, during the Suez crisis, Israel and the UK invaded Egypt, but they withdrew due to international pressure. In the 6-day war (1967), Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 1973 Egypt and Syria attacked Israel during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, but Israel repulsed them and took more territory. The Camp David Agreement (1978), brokered by the US, normalized relations between Israel and Egypt. 1987 Palestinian uprisings marked the first Intifada. 1993, Oslo Negotiations, established the Palestinian Authority; Camp David Summit (2000); The Annapolis Conference (2007), the Abraham Accords (2020), etc” that have not produced lasting peace anyway!

While specifically this article, I will try to shed more light on the recycling of the conflict "after October 7, 2023" or: "updated summary with the lessons learned from not only Israel's confrontation with terrorist organizations and states; challenges, impacts and strategic recommendations for (without) the possibility of building peace in the Middle East as well as the impacts on the Western Balkans". More specifically:

Rreth 50 mijë të vrarë dhe mbi 100 mijë të plagosur; mijëra raketa, avion luftarak dhe dronë vrasës; miliona refugjatë në portat e perëndimit si dhe triliona € shpenzime. Një kosto shumë e lartë, kështu edhe një mision pothuaj i pamundur për të bërë një përmbledhje ngushëlluese për jetët e humbura (qytetarë të pafajshëm Palestinez dhe Izraelit) si dhe të solidaritetit “kundër/pro luftës” ndaj ekstremizmit të çdo forme.

Siç dihet, vala e re e konfliktit, nisi në 7 Tetor 2023, kur më shumë se 2500 paramilitarë të Hamasit (shpallur organizatë terroriste nga ShBA dhe BE) sulmuan Izraelin; ndërsa mbi 3000 raketa u hodhën nga Rripi i Gazës duke masakruar mbi 1200 qytetarë në një festë publike; morën si barbare pengje 250 pleq/gjyshër, gra dhe vajza (gjysma ende të padorëzuar), si dhe vijojnë të përdorin si barrikada (ç) njerëzore bashkëqytetarë palestinezë!

Konflikti u zgjerua, me përfshirjen “de fakto” të Iranit, mbrëmjen e së premtes datë 13/14 Prill 2024, kur një shi me 300 raketa vrasëse goditën brutalisht (fatmirësisht pa zero sukses) hapësirën ajrore të Izraelit: “si hakmarrje ndaj sulmit ajror të 1 prillit 2024”, në konsullatën iraniane Damask, ku mbeti i vrarë gjenerali Mohammad Zahedi, komandant i lartë i Gardës së Iranit (IRGC). Po ashtu për vrasjen e liderit politik të Hamasit, Ismail Haniyeh, gjatë një sulmi ajror në Teheran, Irani fajësoi “pa asnjë prova” Izraelin, dhe kështu të 2 sulmet, i konsideroi si: “shkelje të sovranitetit të Iranit”.

Situata u përkeqësua, me përfshirjen e grupit të armaosur Hezbollah, në vrasjen e 12 fëmijëve nga një sulm me raketa në 28 korrik 2024 në një fushë futbolli në lartësitë e Golanit. Si përgjigje shpaguese nga sulmet ajrore të izraelit në Bejrut në 31 korrik 2024 mbeti i vrarë Foud Shukur, ndër themeluesit e Hezbollahut. Ndërsa si kundërpërgjigje për vrasjen e ushtarakut të lartë, grupi Hezbollah (ndër të tjera akte terroriste në bashkërendim me Hamasin), në 25 gusht 2025, goditi Izraelin me mbi 320 Raketa Katyusha (ruse) duke e imponuar Qeverinë e Netanyahut të ndërmarrë një fushatë ajrore ndëshkuese dhe shkatërrimtare ndaj shtabeve, armatimit dhe infrastrukturave kritike të Hezbollahut.

6 (gjashtë) mësimet e nxjerra nga përballja e mbas 7 Tetorit 2023:

Lesson no. 1: Going beyond the cynical propaganda, I have to repeat it even more strongly than beyond the specific circumstances that have been imposed on Israel for survival: "exercising the right of proportional revenge, against states or terrorist organizations", remains as a universal challenge, because: "if the terrorists of Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Islamic State of Iran, were to bring Israel to its knees (if not exterminate from the face of the earth), it would not create a fatal precedent for peace, the global security system, and the values ??of civilization in worldwide?! To be more clear, for any egocentric minded but perhaps well paid, the question remains: "if Washington, London, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Kiev and every other country were to kneel like this to terrorist organizations, what catastrophic consequences would this have on global order, human society, religious harmony, peaceful coexistence, etc"?! Seen from this point of view, I find Israel's imposed war against terrorists: "not only in the sovereign right of survival, but also as an additional contribution to democratic values ??and Euro-Atlantic interests"!

Lesson No. 2: From this imposed military confrontation during the last 11 months, the invincible and destructive capabilities of Israel's air defense, as well as the confidence in the invincible power of the US and UK air fleets, were tested and tested against the attacks of Hamas, the Islamic State of Iran, Hezbollah, etc.

However, the common message of the above-mentioned list of post-conflicts remains: "in all conflicts, including the last one, Israel, with the support of its strategic allies (USA/UK/EU), has not only triumphed but also expanded its territory, strategic positions as well as geopolitical weight in the Middle East".

Thus, the successful confrontation of Israel during the last 11 months (destroying over 97% of the missiles and killer drones), also serves as a message of strength to Putin, that: "if he would dare to attack even 1 meter² of any of The 32 member countries of NATO would be defeated and humiliated by the unrivaled power of the Euro-Atlantic Alliance (USA/NATO/UK/EU)". This message of strength is also for the former Minister of Milosevic and the obedient soldier of the Kremlin (Mr. Vu?i?), that: "not to be armed with attack warplanes (18 Mig-29 or 12 Rafales = over €6 billion), Raleta, etc. wasting more than €1.5 billion per year from the efforts of the Serbian people. This is because none of the countries in the region threaten Serbia, but even Serbia has no desire to face the defense capabilities of Kosovo (eg the equipment of the FSK from the USA with 246 Javelin missiles) nor the proven power (1999) military of the Euro-Atlantic Alliance".

Lesson no. 3: solidarity and diplomatic cohesion, demonstrated in the field "confirms with deeds" the uncompromising support of Israel in the fight against terrorism, as a "common threat and evil".

While the presence of two military warships of the USA, UK, etc. in the region confirms the uncompromising support of Israel also due to a strong Israeli lobby in the decision-making of Washington and London. Regarding US-Israel relations, I have an additional comment: "the vast majority of the 195 UN countries (including Kosovo) have self-declared the US a strategic ally, while Israel and Iceland remain among the only countries so confirmed by Official Washington". As an example, we mention that the US military aid package to Israel (1948 - 2024) amounts to 150 billion dollars, or as much as 100 years of military spending by Hamas and Hezbollah together!

Lesson no. 4: from this war against terrorism, the countries that supported the axis of evil (Hamas - Iran - Hezbollah), such as Russia-Putinist - Kim Jong's Korea - the Dodiks in the Western Balkans, were also unmasked. Therefore, this lesson (no. 4) also carries a message about the critical necessity to cooperate at the global and regional level in the fight against common dangers, that is, states, neo-Stalinist dictatorships or the above-mentioned terrorist organizations.

On the other hand, the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023 or April 14 and August 25, 2024, against a sovereign country/Israel as well as the lives of the civilian population, even if they were not planned "directly by the Kremlin", it is certain that they serve the efforts of Putin's desperate attempts to open a new war front alongside the one in Ukraine. But it will fail miserably, just as it did in trying to drag China into war with Taiwan; or to inspire Belgrade to the adventure of "military re-occupation of the Republic of Kosovo, even though since 1990 it remains under the presence/responsibility of KFOR troops"!

Lesson no. 5, beyond the deformed minds in Tehran, the Kremlin, North Korea, (including in the Balkans) trying to give a religious dimension or "legitimize" the barbaric attacks of Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah, not only against Israel, never they have nothing in common with the values ??of the Islamic religion.

Likewise, beyond the patriotic-religious denominations, HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement), or Hezbollah (Party of God/Allah), the "religious terrorists" who scream like monsters: "All?hu ?akbar or God is great" even after they massacre barbarically citizens and cut off the heads of innocent children; when they drag old people/grandfathers, women and girls hostage, kill thousands of innocent citizens with kamikaze bombs/rockets, or even when they use Palestinian fellow citizens from the Gaza Strip as (un)human barricades", they have nothing in common with the Koran and neither with the values ??of Islam!

In contrast, the inspirations hiding like rats in the trenches of the Gaza Strip misuse religion for their political agenda. However, it is a well-known fact that, like other complementary faiths, the Islamic religion sows peace, tolerance, understanding, peaceful coexistence, etc.

Lesson no. 6: precisely to deprive the diplomatic measures for the resolution of the conflict, the UN, USA, UK, NATO and the EU have addressed "harsh messages" to the Democratic Government of Israel, to: "restrain itself in the exercise of reciprocal rights as well as escalating repayment, avoiding as much as possible the consequences on the innocent civilian population". This remains a "disarming advice for the propagandists of Tehran, the Kremlin, etc.", who describe the air attacks on Israel as: "fascist"! Exactly for this, Mr. Netanyahu has confirmed that "Israel will continue destructive airstrikes, but limited and targeted only against critical/military infrastructures". While the center of gravity of Israel's attacks remains against the irreligious terrorists (Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah, etc.) who continue to threaten not only the "survival of Israel's national identity", but are also responsible for inhumane acts and the lives of citizens innocents of Israel and Palestine!

Recommendations for resolving the conflict and building a peaceful coexistence in the Middle East:

Of course, Israel has the military power and stable alliances to "defeat terrorist states or groups", or in case of aggression to face and defeat all Arab countries together. But in order to sow the climate of long-term peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people, the mechanisms of diplomacy will have to prevail, as well as a historic act of forgiveness between Israel and the countries of the region, accompanied by a "road-map" or a comprehensive package of measures to sow the climate and mutual trust between the peoples of the region, de-militarization, the balance of military power, economic and cultural cooperation, etc., while the international actors, the USA, the UN, NATO, the EU will have to continue to bear essential weight.

On the other hand, post-war history teaches us that the journey towards long-term peace requires vision, leadership, commitment and great compromises. As we mentioned above, the Israeli-Arab conflict remains a complex issue, spanning decades and involving a multitude of historical, religious, cultural, territorial factors, national identity, geopolitical, economic interests, etc., which cannot be solved by magic. "in one night and not at once"!

Moreover, neither my high military rank (general ®) nor my experience in NATO allows me to make "populist moralizations" about the constitutional obligations of the Armed Forces, nor to prejudge the sovereign right that Israel has to use in escalating military power for the survival of national identity and the protection of territorial integrity as well as guaranteeing the lives of Israeli citizens, but also contributions to the protection of the democratic values ??of humanity as well as the interests of the Euro-Atlantic alliance.

Of course, restraint is needed, following diplomatic activities and respecting international conventions, using high-precision weapons against Hamas, Iran and Hezbollah; opening humanitarian and medical corridors for the Palestinian population as well as avoiding as much as possible innocent victims (although 100% is mission impossible).

Furthermore, in order to create the spirit of good faith, an act of forgiveness will be needed as well as a peace agreement with the moderate local factors that do not find a solution to the conflict and peaceful coexistence through terrorist acts. Whereas, the inspirers and terrorists will have to be brought before international justice for crimes against humanity. That being said, under no circumstances and for no reason should the diplomatic efforts by Israel, the Arab countries and the international community be stopped.

I must repeat even more strongly that for a stable and long-term peace, the diplomatic mechanisms between Israel, Palestine and other Arab countries involved in the conflict will necessarily prevail. A widely discussed solution remains the return to the project of two sovereign states (Israel and Palestine), which will have to include negotiations on borders, refugees and Jerusalem as a common capital, as well as a package of mutual trust measures including de-militarization, balances of military power; release of prisoners, economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, etc. Of course, international actors, the UN, the US, the EU and regional ones, have an essential role for sustainable peace.

In addition, as in any of the dozens of evaluations, I would also like to conclude this opinion with some "strategic recommendations" for Tirana and official Pristina:

I find it completely miserable that "Bolsheviks themselves shackled by the Stockholm syndrome or power over power" bring back to the national opinion the oscillations of Enver Hoxha: "Israel a cobra in the hands of the USA/UK, or a State created by reactionary Zionism ". Having said this, I re-emphasize that for National geopolitical interests, there is no other option than to join without hesitation the "flag of solidarity of the entire civilized world" by condemning without hesitation the political inspirers and authors of terrorist acts of Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah, one of the most inhumane in modern human history, against the national identity and innocent Israeli and Palestinian populations at the same time.

Thus, the two sovereign states (Albania and Kosovo) have an official obligation to condemn "with a common voice" and to support the confrontation of Israel, the USA, the UK and the Euro-Atlantic allies in the fight against terrorist states and organizations. Therefore, official Tirana and Prishtina will have to confirm support for Israel not only because of the historical ties and the reciprocity of gratitude that Israel has towards our nation for saving the Jews from the Nazis during World War II, but also to line up without compromise alongside the USA, which has played a decisive role not only in the liberation and geopolitical factorization of Kosovo, but specifically also in recognition as a "surprise" in the oval room (Project-Trump) by Israel within the €12 billion package, including the highway of peace Belgrade - Pristina, the railway line, the regional port in the deep waters of the Adriatic, etc.

In conclusion, I believe even more strongly that "beyond the barbaric war of terrorists against Israel or Putin in Ukraine, peace between nations and peaceful coexistence between peoples certainly remains a difficult mission but the only option". Therefore, I remain hopeful that Israel and Ukraine will not only emerge victorious from this confrontation for survival, protection of sovereignty and citizens' lives, but peace, democratic values, military power and Euro-Atlantic interests will triumph over neo-Nazi dictatorships, such as Iran, Russia - Putinist, Kim-Jong, the neo-Milosevics or Dodik of the Western Balkans, or Hamas, Hezbollah as well as any other terrorist organization in the world.

Author: General ® Piro Ahmetaj:

Expert for SK, the Region and NATO,

Vice President of the Atlantic Council; & ex:

Advisor for National Security in DP,

Advisor to the President of RS; Deputy Minister of Defense,

Military Representative in SHAPE/NATO./ CNA