By Jeremy Gillick
In February of 2008, the Republic of Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. Now, as the country of two million–almost all of whom are Muslim–celebrates its first birthday, Israel wonders whether or not to recognize it.
Over 50 nations have already done so, including the United States, the U.K., Germany, France and Turkey, but Israel has thus far avoided the issue entirely. As Ha’aretz puts it, “Jerusalem is hesitant to endorse the independence of a break-away Muslim country, in light of the implications it could have for Israel with regard to the Palestinians.”
“Israel may also view recognition of the breakaway republic as one that could potentially lead to a domino effect which could encourage other contested areas to declare independence, and possibly raise international calls for Palestinian statehood.”
In worrying about the potential repercussions, though, Israel overlooks an inconvenient truth: Kosovo’s Albanian Muslims are arguably more supportive of Israel than Muslims anywhere else in the world.
In some ways, the dilemma parallels Israel’s Armenian problem. Although Israel has a sympathetic Armenian population, it has refused to recognize the Armenian genocide for fear of damaging its relationship with Turkey.
Whereas the evidence might justify Israel’s position in the case of Turkey and the Armenian genocide, since Turkey is a crucial ally in a region generally unfriendly to Israel, in the case of Kosovo, Israel’s stance is based largely on speculation.
And if Israel wants a Palestinian state, which, by most accounts, it does, what better way to symbolize that than by recognizing Kosovo’s independence?
13 responses so far ↓
Yugodriver from Serbia // April 22, 2009 at 8:58 pm |
Our friends from Israel, you must never recognize so called indipendent “state” of Kosovo. Long live Israel. Kosovo is part of Serbia.
Betty // April 27, 2009 at 10:50 am |
Israel (like the other democracies)should stand for what is RIGHT, not what is EXPEDIENT for the moment. However, the USA certainly doesn’t practice this, and in the case of Turkey, Israel hasn’t either. But soon they will see just how “friendly” even a “secular” Islamic nation will be – and will wish they had stood with the persecuted Christians instead! Same goes for Serbia vs Kosovo. Israel needs to wake up as to who are their real allies – and who are their enemies!
Kosovari // June 6, 2009 at 7:58 pm |
i seriozly thought that IZRAEL would be the first country to rekognize KOSOVA! becouse of NAZI-SERBIA
Albert // June 21, 2009 at 10:11 am |
I just heard on TV that Israel is preparing to recognize Republic of Kosova in August. This is a just and reasonable step in the right direction.
Albania was the country where none of the Israelis was handed over to the Nazis during whole Second World War and their number after the war was manifold larger than before the war, because Albania was a safe territory for Israelis.
Serbia in the other hand is the state that openly performed and encouraged genocide, mass atrocities and tortures in ex-Yugoslavia. Only in one day Serbs killed more than 8.000 unarmed and innocent young and old man in Srebrenica, which is the biggest massacre in Europe after the Second World War.
By recognizing Kosovo Israel joins western democracies in Europe and USA.
Thank you Israel!
EA // June 21, 2009 at 11:11 am |
Israel should have recognise Kosova’s independence time ago but better late than never. Albanians never had a problem with state of Israel and Jewish were well protected in Albania during the Nazi persecution. Albanians and Israelis have a common Big Friend the USA and the most important thing is the real democratic world know the history of conflict in former Yugoslavia. Wellcome on board Israel! Thanks USA!
Ermal // July 8, 2009 at 6:51 am |
During the second world war All the Jews who were lucky to come in the Albanian territories were saved by the albanians in Kosovo and Albania, evethou they were occupied by the german fashist army. Albanian families protected them by sacrifying their lives and in the end of the war Albania had more Jews then in beggining, a fact recognised worldwide by the historians. What happend to the Jews in Serbia. They were all killed.
dielleza // August 4, 2009 at 6:33 am |
Isreal will recognise Kosova soon or later
.
There are two main reason why Isreal will recognise Kosova.
1. Because Kosovas independence is the way of truth and
2. Because Iserals as we know is USAs alley and they also wanna say thanks for the help albanians gave to jews during ww2.
dielleza // August 4, 2009 at 6:34 am |
Ups there were 3 reason
Nenad // September 5, 2009 at 10:37 pm |
During the second world war All the Jews who were lucky to come in the Albanian territories were saved by the albanians in Kosovo and Albania.
This stands only for Albania but not for Kosovo. Kosovo nazis driven out many Serbs and other non albanians from Kosovo during WW2 and ihabited it with Albanians from Albania.
Kosovo is Serbian land! There are no Albanian lands outside Albania but there are lands with Albanian population in other states. Albanians should make a difference. If they continue with this idea of so called great Albania I’m afraid they will cause a rage with the rest of their neighbours where Albanians live so they could lose even their original teritory.
As for saving jews in Kosovo, I just wonder if Albanians says they are saving jews, then why the hell jewish community of Prishtina is relocated into Belgrade in 1999. after NATO entered into Kosovo.
I hope Israel won’t make a mistake and recognize this rogue state.
SwedeEU // September 17, 2009 at 2:33 pm |
Israel should urgently recognize Kosovo.
It does not matter with the situation there,because kosovo is in europe, and israel should recognize the country of kosovo because in nazi era,these people from kosovo saved many jews from nazists.Also in sign of good friendship with usa and EU ,israel should immediately recognize Kosovo, and not to support the serbian genociders.
Tom // October 31, 2009 at 6:44 pm |
Independence was inevitable. Serbs have lost every right to rule over Kosovo. The structural, state-organized repression and terror against the Kosovo-Albanian majority for decades have lead to the independence of Kosovo.The illegal and unconstitutional removal of the Kosovos autonomy by Milosevic in ‘89 followed by the horrible atrocities and the ethnic cleansing committed by the Serbs during the war of ‘97-99 made secession from Serbia inevitable.If someone is to blame, than it is the Serbs.
Tom // October 31, 2009 at 6:45 pm |
“It has been stated that during the second world war Albania was the only state in Europe having more Jews after the war then before it. Albania was not the only country in Europe to do so. Catholic Spain, as well as Lutheran Sweden and Finland also had more Jews at the end of the conflict than at the beginning. As such the positive role that the Albanians played in sheltering and aiding segments of the European Jewry cannot be denied.”
Insider // December 5, 2009 at 4:19 pm |
During the WW2 Kosovo was under ocupation of Musolini’s faschist army. During 1941-1945 Kosovan Albanians were became friends with Italian faschist army and during that period of WW2 Kosovan Albanians were pushed Serbs and other Non-Albanian population out of Kosovo, including Jews.
During the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, Kosovan Albanians pushed Jews for the second time out of the Kosovo.
Should Israel Recognize Kosovo’s Independence and my opinion is OFF COURSE NOT!
I mean, why should Israel Recognize “state” of Kosovo. The prime minister of that new born “state” is Hashim Thachi, who is a high member of organised crime in Kosovo. Today Prime minister of Kosovo Hashim Thachi have very interesting nickname called “Snake”. Guess why he have that nickname. The guy before him, former prime minister of Kosovo Agim Cheku is wanted by interpol, his nickname is “Babykiller”. Today, Kosovo is a very criminal place and both those guys are conected with leading terorist organizations such as Al Qaida and other smaller terorist organizations wanted by USA and international police. In the past, Hashim Thachi and Agim Cheku were members of terorist organization called KLA.
Kosovo Albanian leaders are former terorists, and USA is on their side because USA is blind. In the past, USA have been friend with Osama bin Laden, and we all know how that friendship beetwen bin Laden and USA ended. Now USA is making the same mistake with Kosovo Albanian leaders because Kosovo Albanian leaders are light version of Osama bin Laden, because Kosovo Albanian leaders are also terorists.
During the 1989 Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic was not removed the Kosovo’s authonomy, he only removed a one part of that authonomy and during that period (during 1989) Kosovo still had the authonomy going. but noooo, Kosovo Albanians wanted more, Kosovo Albanians wanted the indipendence.
But the Albanian sick dream about indipendence of Kosovo was not started in 2008, he started many years before. It alll started in 1981, when Kosovo-Albanians wanted to separate Serbian province of Kosovo from teritory of Serbia in 1981. Slobodan Milosevic came to power few years after 1981, which means that the only side that is highly responsible for whole Kosovo drama is Kosovo-Albanian side, because Kosovo Albanian were first who lighted the the war fire. Kosovo Albanians started to make ethnic tensions in 1981, and Serbian President Milosevic was respond them with the measure of removing only problematic parts of Kosovo’s authonomy in 1989.