By Dr. Jorgji KOTE
Grand Master in Diplomacy
Given the current state of play in the Middle East, after the Hamas terrorist attacks on 7 October 2023, the Israel’s 12 day long war against Iran, the US military intervention and the ongoing diplomatic peace efforts there, the Palestinian question has become a vital and decisive component for the settlement of the complicated geopolitical puzzle in that explosive region. Now is quite evident that the previous ideas for a managed peace which can be reached without the Palestinian Authority have failed. The same applies to the equally naive idea that peace and stability in Middle East are possible through economic cooperation and business boom in keeping with President Trump’s transactionalist doctrine; just as 5 years ago when in exchange for a peace deal, he offered 50 Billion Dollars for Palestine. But the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Abbas rejected it with his famous sentence that “ Palestine is not on sale”.
Before going further, let me mention that I have also eye-witnessed on the ground the daring spirit of the Palestinian people and youth for the victory of their sacred cause. Almost 47 years ago, on 15 December 1978, in my first trip abroad I went to Beirut as member of an official youth delegation to attend the Congress of the General Union of Palestine Students ( GUPS). At that time we had good relations with GUPS and its leadership, the Organization for the Liberation of Palestine ( PLO) led by the emblematic Jaser Arafat. Likewise, in the ‘ 70 several Palestinian students came to Tirana to study, largely medicine, so that they could be able to take care and heal the Palestinian soldiers injured during the war there. We were very happy to see and talk with a few of them in the Congress Hall and premises. For security reasons, the Congress was held in Kaifun, in the Mountain Souk El Gharb overlooking Beirut.
Apart from the Congress deliberations, during those two weeks we did also take part in other important events and visits.
Among them I must single out the meeting with two Jaser Arafat’s closest associates in Beirut who were in Tirana before and visited a Palestinian artillery unit in Beirut suburbs. We spent touching moments during the visit in two hospitals there with dozens of injured Palestinian fighters where we donated blood for them. Then we visited two enterprises for manufacturing clothes for Palestinian fighters and for export to ensure the necessary funding for the armed resistance.
All these events and a concert with traditional songs and dances performed by Palestinian amateur artists impressed us with their fighting spirit, determination, enthusiasm, the pride of the past, the wonderful traditions, their thirst for freedom, the unshakable confidence for the Palestine’s victory and its own state.
Their pathos and admiration for their leader, the charismatic Jaser Arafat could be seen everywhere. We did also see him during a short but very friendly there.
In the later periods, particularly in the last 30 years of my diplomatic service abroad I have also met Palestinian friends and colleagues and we have talked on our common concerns.
During this long period, we have seen a lot of work and efforts, achievements and failurs in the peace-making process, two Palestinian Intifades, the Oslo Peace deal in 1993 and other efforts. The Palestinian Authority has played an active part there.
However, in the recent years, due to the complicated situations in Middle East, as different experts note, the Palestinian leadership has been somewhat apathetic, not to mention different affairs with a negative perception in the public.
Thus, some polls conducted by a team led by Amaney Jamal, a prominent American-Palestinian Professor and Dean at Princetown University in USA, over 70 per cent of the population in Gaza are dissatisfied with Hamas. But in the West Bank as well, the majority say that they are occupied both by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
It is a positive fact that over 80 per cent of the Palestinian population are in favour of a diplomatic settlement with Israel, among them 70 per cent for the “two states solution” and only 20 per cent through armes.
Under the current circumstances, the hamletian dilemma is crying out for solution: would this geopolitical puzzle in Middle East be solved with or without Palestine? If and certainly yes with Palestina, then how would its leadership be involved in this historic process, without which it is difficult, not to say impossible to have lasting peace and stability there.
In this context, the key to success in working out this geopolitical puzzle there is to admit and apply the “ two states” principle, i.e. having Israel and Palestine, in peace and good neighbourliness under the proper international security safeguards. But here is where the problem lies, since apart from the USA with its hesitations, far right circles in Israel and PM Netyanahu himself are against it. Just on 23 July the Kneset adopted a resolution which demands the annexation of the Western Bank; although it is not binding, the resolution in spirit is a denial of the future Palestinian state. But the good news here is the meeting on 22 July between the US Ambassador Mike Huckabee with the Vice President of the Palestinian Authority, Husein al-Sheikh in Rramallah, after an 8 year interruption period.
These obstacles and difficulties which date back in early times are also confirmed by some former Palestinian leaders.
One of them is the prominent philosopher and former peace negotiator, a close Arafat’s associate, Prof. Dr. Sari Husseibeh. In an interview on 7 December 2023 with Klementina Cenkollari, our well-known TV journalist in the “Voice of America» in Washington he said: “to be frank, I am not certain about the future. In the past I used to say to myself that I could see the future. Whereas now I tell to myself that the future is very blurred»
Meanwhile, this Israel objection is facing growing pressure in many western states which are pressing for the recognition of the Palestine state; France is the latest but not the end of this case.
This is why the current state of play there requires the total mobilization of the Palestinian leadership, in view of meeting the immense challenges lying ahead; most importantly, to persuade the international community that any peace process in Middle East should necessarily have the Palestinian Authority on board.
This is a Must especially now that the international support for Palestine is growing. The public and politics everywhere are dividing the “ wheat from the chaff” i.e. Hamas terrorists from the other Palestinians there. This also was seen in the latest massive protest rallies in Europe, in the USA and elsewhere in favour of the Palestinian righteous cause.
True, there is a general consensus that Israeli attacks against Iran in June were not a violation of international law; besides, Israel is the only democratic state, whose existence is seriously threatened by Iran; yet, this consensus is not for Israeli excessive attacks against civilian targets, international warehouses and even a church in Gaza which even the USA has condemned it. This is why on 21 July, 25 western Foreign Ministers and 111 aid organizations worldwide have urged Israel to stop bombardments in Gaza, withdraw from its military intervention and allow the food supplies for thousands who are dying from hunger there. This pressure is also increasing on the German government’s special position vis à vis Israel.
While coming to Albania, fortunately, besides the support and development of historically good relations with Israel, except for the period 1945 – 1990, Albania and its people by and large have also maintained friendly relations with the Palestinian people and authorities since long ago.
In this regard, it should be noted the special role of the Diplomatic Representation of the Palestinian Authority in Tirana. It has become much more present and active in the recent months uner its new Ambassador, H.E. Sami Mhanna who has made a fresh and promising start in Tirana. In his meetings with the President of the Republic, H.E. Bajram Begaj, the Vice Chairwoman of Tirana Municipality, Mrs. Ristani, his meetings with foreign ambassadors, the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation with the New York University in Tirana, the organization this July of the Palestinian Cultural Month and the first exclusive interview for the Albanian media witjh the Editor -in – chief of prestigious portal ARGUMENTUM, Ambassador Mhanna has expressed his appreciation for our authorities and people and has highlighted many opportunities of forging our relations in many walks of life.
I was excited to hear that he had read the article published two years ago « In Beirut for the Palestinian cause” which refered to the above-mentioned visit there and also published in ARGUMENTUM and I seize this opportunity to thank it for the publication of such articles by other prominent authors. Then, referring to a photo in that article with Palestinian prominent activists 46 years ago, Ambassador Mhana had distinguished “ the black lady” Fatima Birnawi who had passed away quite recently. He told me that after Oslo’s deal in 1993, Fatima had founded and led with competence the first Palestinian Police in Gaza. She has set a briliant example for the young generation.
We agreed that Palestina needs devoted and committed women fighters and leaders like Fatima. They are the best guarantee that the new Palestine Administration can be functional when the much expected “two states” solution is hopefully reached. Otherwise, everything else would fail or just be a temporary step from which all and especially the Palestinian people and cause will have “less gains but more pains” Therefore, the state of Palestine should not be not seen anymore as part of the puzzle, but part and parcel of genuine peace in the Middle East.
In conclusion, I wish this modest article be a homage to all those hundreds of thousands of Palestine fighters and people who have spared no effort, not even their youth; who were killed, injured and sent in prison for their dream. The same tribute is for millions of others, who have survived and continue unrelentlessly their path and fight for a new Palestine, so that it could finally live in enduring peace, security and prosperity in their own lands.
© 2025 Argumentum
