Posted on 05/07/2003 9:51:52 AM PDT by Destro
english.daralhayat.com 2003/05/07 16:28 GMT
A Vision Of The Arab-Israeli Conflict Results
Mohammed Al-Arnaout Al-Hayat 2007/05/07
The Albanian news channel is currently airing an exclusive biography of King Zog (former Albanian King Zog). This documentary is rich in information and documents being publicized for the first time, thanks to King Hussein Salmani’s private escort who had preserved him, after having accompanied the king in all his activities.
This diary shows valuable information not only about Albania, but also about the Balkan countries, the Middle East and the relations between the East and the West. In fact, Ahmed Zog reached the throne in Albania after having pursued his education in the East, in Istanbul. He then decided to quickly join Albania to the western camp, driving himself into a competition with Mustafa Kamal Ataturk in modernizing a country with a Muslim majority and strong Eastern values. When he became part of the authority (Prime Minister in 1922, President in 1925 and finally King of the Albanians in 1928), he established close relations with Yugoslavia, but soon opposed it in favor of Fascist Italy, which craved for the Balkan countries. However, he was Italy’s first victim when it occupied his country in April 1939, while the League of Nations remained silent, as if nothing had happened.
King Zog managed to escape on the eve of the occupation, and traveled across the Balkan countries (Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey) and established important contacts with the great powers (especially Britain and the U.S.) in order to liberate his nation. His diary reveals through the letters he exchanged with all sorts of leaders that he was disappointed to watch his country ignored amid the new alliance between the East and the West (the Soviet Union, Britain and the U.S.). Thus, the Western support for the communist army in Albania in 1943-1944 was heading for war facing the democratic power in the west that wished to get rid of them. So following his first disappointment in 1939, after which he remained a legal king, came the second disappointment by the end of 1944, which led him to exile, where he attempted to benefit from the Cold War by hoping to return one day to Albania.
During the first years between 1944-1948, the king was busy trying to join the thousands of Albanians having left their country following the end of the civil war between the rightists and the leftists (the West was supporting the leftists unlike the neighboring Greece), among which were politicians, writers, experts, officers, etc. In other words, the king was occupied at that time with organizing their arrival to neighboring Italy, where they lived in temporary camps, then with looking for safe refuges in countries he knew or where he had good relations with the leaders.
Among the countries he chose as a place to settle the thousands of Albanians were: Egypt, Syria and Jordan, as King Zog got the chance to establish tight relations with Arab governors and politicians, mainly with King Farouk who offered him great facilities to live, move and make contacts, but also with Jordanian King Abdullah, Syrian President Chukri al- Quwatli, Lebanese President Camille Chamoun, the Mufti of Jerusalem Amin Al-Husseini and others.
The chapter regarding the Arab region in the diary seems to hold great importance, as it also addresses the Arab-Jewish conflict, during which King Zog tried hard to offer ideas and advice to his fellow Arabs in the light of his long and bitter experience with the West. Hence, this chapter deserves to be detailed after 55 years.
It is called “The Arab-Israeli War and the Albanians.” It starts by describing the king’s concern with settling the largest number possible of political, military and cultural elite that left Albania when the communist party took over the rule in November 1944, to Egypt, Jordan and Syria. This is why he arranged for the Albanian Refugees Committee to visit the region. The committee joined Albanian politicians and writers such as Medhat Foushray, Ernest Koliqi, Saleh Mufti, Kamal Youssefi etc.
In September 1947, the situation offered some hope, because until then, 300 Albanians had arrived to Syria, where the authorities took good care of them. Moreover, another 6,000 Albanians were expected to be settled in Syria and Jordan. But it seemed that the region was too busy handling the situation in Palestine, affecting hence the proper care that Albanians should have received. Hence, King Zog wrote to King Farouk, King Abdullah and President Chukri Al-Quwatli asking them: “Shall we bring the Albanian refugees according to the terms we agreed upon or shall we stop their flow?” So he received a quick answer telling him that the specialized authorities were in charge of taking the necessary procedures to welcome those refugees. As for the situation in Palestine, those leaders said in their letters “it would never affect the agreement regarding the refugees in case they arrive.”
Nevertheless, King Zog’s experience and wits made him uncomfortable with the development of the situation in and around Palestine, so he thought it would be best to direct the rest of the Albanian refugees in the Italian camps towards the U.S., Britain, France, Canada and Australia. For this matter, he invited Mr. Peterson, head of the High Commission for Refugees in Europe, to his residence in Alexandria, and told him about his concern for the possible consequences of the Arab-Jewish war, which might sink the region with new refugees. So Mr. Peterson answered: “It seems that you have understood well the situation between the Arabs and the Jews. Actually now is not a good time for the refugees to come to this region, as soon might come the day when the region will not be able to provide food for its own people, so where does that leave the refugees!”
Meanwhile, the Albanian Refugees Committee had reached Syria in November 1947, where president Chukri Al-Quwatli welcomed its members, assuring them that he had given instructions to the concerned authorities to offer help and facilities for the coming Albanian refugees and to settle them. After the meeting, the members visited the refugees that had arrived at that time (about 300, among which were 40 officers, 10 doctors, teachers and others). Despite the warm welcoming of president Al-Quwatli, King Zog was getting pessimistic regarding the future of the region, as he expected an imminent war between the Arabs and Jews. Hence, he stopped sending more refugees.In this chapter, King Zog has the chance to express his opinion concerning the Arab-Jewish situation. He “constantly wished for King Farouk, King Abdullah, President Chukri al-Quwatli, Mufti Al-Husseini and Syrian Premier Jamil Mardem Bek not to get involved in a military conflict with the Jews.” In other words, the King “asked them to seek a peaceful solution with the British and Americans that would guarantee the rights of both parties in both nations: Palestine and Israel.” However, the Arabs dreamed too much, and did not realize that all Europe was supporting Israel, not to mention that European countries had sent Jews to the region offering them guarantees to defend them. But the Arabs would not listen.”
This chapter also reveals that King Zog was involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict and its future, knowing he was strongly related to Arab leaders. Hence, he decided one night to invite his friends over for dinner to tell them his last news. The dinner gathered King Farouk, King Abdullah, President Chukri Al-Quwatli, Syrian Premier Jamil Bek, Mufti Al-Husseini and Lebanese President Camille Chamoun. On this occasion, the King said: “You should plan for a better solution. Do not turn to violence because you shall not achieve anything. On the contrary, violence will cause you more losses. Do not forget that English and Americans are the ones who brought the Jews to the region, and will not allow you to get rid of them. They have guaranteed them political and financial help, so no one can harm them. You should also know that the Jews are playing nowadays a major role in the world, as they detain the financial world. This is why, as a friend, I believe that turning to violence will harm you. You will not be able to achieve anything, and war shall cost you great losses.”
The king thought that the solution would be to seek a peaceful agreement with the English and the Americans, based on two neighboring countries: “When I had the chance, I would tell the English and the Americans to try their best to reach a peaceful solution: you must help the Arabs to establish two nations in Palestine for both Arab and Jewish people, as well as offer Anglo-American guarantees, not to mention financial and economic help to both States. This is the only way out of this dangerous situation.”
But the problem is that his Arab friends thought they were strong enough to vanquish the Jews and get rid of them. This made King Zog tell them sincerely: “I am with you with all my heart, but this path (war) will not lead to any solution whatsoever, even if Soviet Russia were supporting you! These Jews are receiving American, English and French help. You are not thinking right, and you will end up carrying the burden of a million Palestinians that Israel would chase out!” Yes, all this happened in 1977.
I'm sure the General will forgive your insolence. ;-)
Here, check this out: http://www.generalzod.net It opens in a new window, by the way.
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