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7 July, 2025
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    Azerbaijan dismisses claims of involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

    Elite Purges: Internal Conflict or External Design?

    Trump’s Threat of U.S. Intervention in Iran Exposes Roots of Critics’ Fears

    Crisis-Born, Purpose-Seeking: Can the EPC Define Europe’s Strategic Future?

    Serbia’s Request to the ICJ Turned Resolution 1244 into a Closed Chapter and Kosovo’s Independence into an Internationally Recognized Reality

    Unpredictable world

    Promoting Arab Culture and Language in the Framework of Cultural Diversity and Dialogue.

    ‘A Tragic Circus’: Albanian PD Figures Lash Out After LaCivita-Backed Campaign Collapses

    Erosion of Liberal Democracy in Europe Complicates Canada’s Search for Like-Minded Allies

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    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    The Conclusion of the Diplomatic Mission / Ambassador Dancho Markovski: Strengthening Albania-North Macedonia Relations for a Shared European Future

    A Century of Diplomatic Relations Between Albania and Russia: Exclusive Interview with the Russian Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Alexey Zaytsev

    Exclusive/ The chairman of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta: “The will of the citizens will triumph in Albania, as it did in North Macedonia”

    Exclusive/ The Russian Ambassador to Albania Mr. Mikhail Afanasiev: Russia only aims to end that war started by the West in Ukraine

    Exclusive/ Skopje’s top diplomat to Tirana, Dancho Markovski: OSCE Chairmanship a Project of National Importance for North Macedonia

    Exclusive interview of Croatian Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric: ‘There is progress in Croatian-Albanian relations, but it is still not enough’  

    The first anniversary of the appointment as Archbishop at the head of the Catholic Church/ Mons. Arjan Dodaj: Only God can be the author of our walk!

    Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Anar Huseynov: President Aliyev’s visit to Albania opened a new page in our relations through the specific accords reached

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    A top phone call as disappointment! Exit from Brexit! Germany at the helm! End this political shame up!

    That’s it! The quartet of hope! Shame on Kosovo! The Summit of a Community without Identity!

    Only praises and prolises for Meloni! Facts versus untruths! Immediate ceasefire and genuine peace, no deal for new occupation! Back after 60 years !

    US nuclear tariff bomb!! Europa fires back! NATO ok, but with or without Article 5? Kallas urges reforms!

    Europe riarmed! Germany’s epochal shift! Spoiled soup! EU Commissioner Kos demands reforms!

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    WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.  Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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    Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

    Why Iran with Nukes is a Danger – Just Look at Cuba in 1962

    When bridges divide more than rivers…

    Skopje Growth Plan Summit: Western Balkans Six Urged to Accelerate Reforms

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    Geneva meeting begins in bid to halt escalating Israel-Iran conflict

    From Donetsk to Northern Kosovo: Geopolitical Games with the Kosovo Precedent

  • Top News

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    NATO allies agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035

    Reza Pahlavi: “This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment” — Exiled Prince Calls for Global Support as Iran Nears Regime Collapse

    Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

    Russia Proposes Second Round of Ukraine Peace Talks in Istanbul on June 2

    International leaders congratulate Prime Minister Rama after his victory in the parliamentary elections, securing a fourth term.

    Albania’s parliamentary elections competitive and well run but lacked level playing field, international observers say

    Top Ukrainian delegation arrives in Paris for talks with Western officials

    Marta Kos: Albania Making Rapid Progress Toward EU Integration

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  • Home
  • OP/ED

    Azerbaijan dismisses claims of involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

    Elite Purges: Internal Conflict or External Design?

    Trump’s Threat of U.S. Intervention in Iran Exposes Roots of Critics’ Fears

    Crisis-Born, Purpose-Seeking: Can the EPC Define Europe’s Strategic Future?

    Serbia’s Request to the ICJ Turned Resolution 1244 into a Closed Chapter and Kosovo’s Independence into an Internationally Recognized Reality

    Unpredictable world

    Promoting Arab Culture and Language in the Framework of Cultural Diversity and Dialogue.

    ‘A Tragic Circus’: Albanian PD Figures Lash Out After LaCivita-Backed Campaign Collapses

    Erosion of Liberal Democracy in Europe Complicates Canada’s Search for Like-Minded Allies

  • Interview

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    The Conclusion of the Diplomatic Mission / Ambassador Dancho Markovski: Strengthening Albania-North Macedonia Relations for a Shared European Future

    A Century of Diplomatic Relations Between Albania and Russia: Exclusive Interview with the Russian Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Alexey Zaytsev

    Exclusive/ The chairman of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta: “The will of the citizens will triumph in Albania, as it did in North Macedonia”

    Exclusive/ The Russian Ambassador to Albania Mr. Mikhail Afanasiev: Russia only aims to end that war started by the West in Ukraine

    Exclusive/ Skopje’s top diplomat to Tirana, Dancho Markovski: OSCE Chairmanship a Project of National Importance for North Macedonia

    Exclusive interview of Croatian Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric: ‘There is progress in Croatian-Albanian relations, but it is still not enough’  

    The first anniversary of the appointment as Archbishop at the head of the Catholic Church/ Mons. Arjan Dodaj: Only God can be the author of our walk!

    Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Anar Huseynov: President Aliyev’s visit to Albania opened a new page in our relations through the specific accords reached

  • Realpolitik

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    Chancellor Merz passed “the exam”! Political stupidity! 5 per cent or study Russian! The Firing East!      

    A top phone call as disappointment! Exit from Brexit! Germany at the helm! End this political shame up!

    That’s it! The quartet of hope! Shame on Kosovo! The Summit of a Community without Identity!

    Only praises and prolises for Meloni! Facts versus untruths! Immediate ceasefire and genuine peace, no deal for new occupation! Back after 60 years !

    US nuclear tariff bomb!! Europa fires back! NATO ok, but with or without Article 5? Kallas urges reforms!

    Europe riarmed! Germany’s epochal shift! Spoiled soup! EU Commissioner Kos demands reforms!

    Europe tightens the ranks! The Euro-Atlantic Alliance in danger! USA-1945!! A true Peace, not new occupation!

    WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.  Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

    The law of force over the force of law! Multilateral diplomacy is the victim! Euro-Atlantism in danger! Munchen split the West!

  • Current Events

    Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

    Why Iran with Nukes is a Danger – Just Look at Cuba in 1962

    When bridges divide more than rivers…

    Skopje Growth Plan Summit: Western Balkans Six Urged to Accelerate Reforms

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    Geneva meeting begins in bid to halt escalating Israel-Iran conflict

    From Donetsk to Northern Kosovo: Geopolitical Games with the Kosovo Precedent

  • Top News

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    NATO allies agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035

    Reza Pahlavi: “This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment” — Exiled Prince Calls for Global Support as Iran Nears Regime Collapse

    Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

    Russia Proposes Second Round of Ukraine Peace Talks in Istanbul on June 2

    International leaders congratulate Prime Minister Rama after his victory in the parliamentary elections, securing a fourth term.

    Albania’s parliamentary elections competitive and well run but lacked level playing field, international observers say

    Top Ukrainian delegation arrives in Paris for talks with Western officials

    Marta Kos: Albania Making Rapid Progress Toward EU Integration

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Home ENGLISH

War and Peace in Israel: A Dual Reality!

3 October, 2024
in ENGLISH, English OP/ED
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By Gledis NANO*

Israel’s past and present are inextricably linked to the concept of peace and war. Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has existed in a hope-filled duality: the hope for a lasting peace and the threat of war that seems to loom always on the horizon. This complex relationship with the hope for peace and the threat of war invites—and perhaps even demands—some exploration, especially as it pertains to the naive notion that reconciliation requires no conflict; that war is not an inevitable prerequisite on the path to peace. The Israeli experience excels in paradox. It is the living duality of hope and threat.

The dream of a homeland for Jews was fulfilled in 1948 when the modern State of Israel was founded. But it didn’t bring peace—far from it. That same year, the neighboring Arab nations went to war with Israel, determined to prevent its establishment. They lost—the Arab Israeli War ended with Israel firmly on the map. Yet what happened next is equally significant: The Israeli government, in the name of “Independence,” began to memorialize the event not as a war, but as a peace effort.

Israel’s security situation, since the founding of the state, has always tended to exist along this precarious balance of power. The Six-Day War in 1967 pitted Israel against a coalition of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The outcome, however, was a remaking of the conflict, not the remaking of the state of Israel. Israel emerged victorious again but did not truly win the peace. Instead, the war brought Palestinians under Israel’s direct control: alongside the territory of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, all now collectively seen as the Palestinian territories. In short, the war brought Israel’s citizens security, gave the IDF(S) peace on the fronts where they had fought, and enhanced Israel’s regional prestige. But it was a short-term win that, in the long term, not only left unexamined the internal tensions in Israeli society and the Palestinian “problem” alongside the Israel “issue,” but also enhanced both.

The Author, Mr. Gledis NANO

Even with all the frustrations and roadblocks, Israel has yet to achieve a prominent peace in its epoch. Still, there have been enormous strides made toward peace in Israel’s history. The 1979 Camp David Accords were a significant breakthrough. They were groundbreaking because, with one accord, they signaled peace between Israel and an Arab nation. To be sure, the treaty has held fast and firm up to this very day without any signs of erosion or collapse. In my opinion, what has happened has been completely unprecedented. An Arab country has recapitulated and reaffirmed what a Jewish historian wrote in his book called “The Siege.”

Nevertheless, not all peace processes have turned out that way. The hope expressed in the 1990s by the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might find a peaceful resolution; yet, at several points during the accords, it became necessary to reaffirm that these two sides had agreed to an understanding. That effort culminated in the formation of a two-state solution, which, even as the words leave the mouth of anyone even vaguely familiar with the situation, offers renewed hope that these two disparate societies might find a way to coalesce—to live, as they say, “side by side.” By contrast, the fears incited by the Second Intifada find both societies once again far apart, with no way to attain peace in this period of hope.

In the past few years, Israel has reached peace agreements with several Arab countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, thanks to the Abraham Accords. These accords indeed represent a new era of normalization between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors. Yet, they have done little or nothing to tackle the core issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While the accords have opened new avenues for diplomacy and economic cooperation, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, raising questions about whether we can truly expect to see a lasting peace in the region.

One of the main obstacles to achieving peace in Israel has been the mix of security and territorial jurisdiction. Especially regarding groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, Israel’s security concerns have all too often led to military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Framed as mostly or purely defensive endeavors to safeguard Israeli civilians from the kinds of attacks that happened on October 7, 2023, these incursions and airstrikes, and obviously making peace with the groups that instigate such attacks, is a hard sale to the Israeli public. Yet, what is the alternative?

Taking the 2014 military campaign Operation Protective Edge as an example, we find that the Israeli response to hostility from Gaza was successful from the perspective of immediate military needs. Thousands of Palestinians died, and Gaza was left in ruins. Yet, the “peace dividend” that the Israeli armed forces claim for their Gaza operation remains to be seen, as it appears that any operations that carry the cost of human lives are less and less sustainable. Moreover, the Israeli arms industry benefits from nearly unfettered conflict. If the neighbors are not at peace and if various non-state actors remain unfriendly, they serve as a potent market for defense technologies and provisions that the Israeli army can use to carry out what in some quarters might be dubbed “low-intensity conflict.”

Religious and ideological factors also complicate efforts to reach a peaceful resolution. To many Israelis, especially those from the religious Zionist sector, the land of Israel has deep spiritual meaning. The notion of giving up any part of what they see as their biblical homeland is not only a political issue but a religious one too. And the struggle isn’t lopsided; on the other side, many Palestinians see the Israeli occupation as a vicious infringement of their right to self-determination and view their struggle against Israel as a quest for justice and vindication of their national identity. Both sides have invested a lot of their sense of worth and long-term viability in the enterprise of conflict rather than in the enterprise of peace.

Even with these difficulties, many Israelis and Palestinians want peace. Polls show that a strong majority of the populace on both sides favors a two-state solution. Yet a two-state solution requires good faith, and good faith seems in short supply on both sides. What Israeli officials say to their American interlocutors in private contradicts what they say as a government to the Israeli public. A peaceful future for the two peoples seems to many observers a distant dream.

The inquiry boils down to this: Is it possible for Israel to live in peace without having first lived through many wars, or is conflict an inevitable part of the reconciliation process? The Elusive Peace puts forth the proposition that they needn’t go on fighting—they needn’t keep winning wars, and they needn’t keep losing them either. On the contrary, the book posits that peace is possible but that first they must understand Israel’s own history. From 1948 to 1967, the Jewish state was only partly a peace entity, and then it passed into a ‘peace with security’ phase that has lasted half a century.

The existence of war and peace in Israel points to the larger human condition of getting along and not getting along, of resolving differences and moving, all too often, to armed confrontation. Necessary, brutal, and all-consuming survival has for too long been the hallmark of the Israel existence, a reality that forced the state of Israel and all-too-real conditions of life into an appearance on the pages of history—an all-too-real presence that made peace seem an impossible dream.

As Israel reflects on the complexities of war and peace, the new year of Rosh Hashanah offers an opportunity for renewal and introspection. Traditionally, Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection, prayer, and the pursuit of personal and collective betterment. It is a moment for many in Israel to contemplate their hopes for the future, especially in terms of peace and reconciliation. The sounding of the shofar (ram’s horn) is not only a call for spiritual renewal but also a reminder of the challenges that lie ahead, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict and the aspirations for a more peaceful future. L’Shanah Tova!

*International Security Expert | Former General Director of Albanian State Police | Former Director of Counter-Terrorism

/Argumentum.al

© 2024 Argumentum

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