Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Wednesday | 15 January 2025 | Epaper

The Middle Eastern crisis

Published : Tuesday, 16 July, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 271
ASM Shamsul Arefin
"The Palestine-Israel conflict has become a concern in the recent world history. This hostility started during October 2023, resulting in significant casualties on both sides"

Part - 4

The United States of America and the State of Israel is having coordinated security  and economic ties among them. United States is having more than 2500 firms established in Israel which has employed around 72,000 Israeli personals. United States has more than 300 research and development centers in Israel. Defense and cyber-security industries are having major impact on the relations between two countries. United States and Israel has created a Joint Economic Development Groups to stabilize economic sectors. United States and Israel is having respectful partnership for deep military and economic ties. Saudi Arabia and Israel peace agreement has enhanced security cooperation.

To have major control over the Middle Eastern Countries the United States has positioned his troops in different Arab countries under defense agreements. Near about 40,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed within the Arab region. Looking at the figure around 900 soldiers is in Syria, 2,500 in Iraq, 2,900 in Jordan, around 8,000 in Qatar, Over 9,000 in Bahrain, around 2,700 in Saudi Arabia, 3,500 are in United Arab Emirates, 13,500 in Kuwait and 1,000 troops in Turkey. United States is maintaining one military base in Israel under classified code-named "Site 512". It is a radar surveillance system can detect and track ballistic missile threats against the United States.

The United States is having many Air Bases within Middle Eastern Countries to support the US forces in the region. The major bases are; Al Udeid Air Base is in Qatar supports the regional headquarters of US Central Command, Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Abdullah Al Mubarak Air Base in  Kuwait,  Ahmad  al-Jaber  Air Base in Kuwait, Air Base in Oman, Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The US destroyer and fighter jets are guarding of the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Qatar is very crucial for US military strategy in the Arab region. United States is having its Naval Base here. This Naval Forces is the part of United States Central Command and the Fifth Fleet. This Naval Base is the only permanent shore Naval Base in the Middle East to facilitate the Gulf War and also accommodates the US aircraft carriers and amphibious ships.

The Palestine-Israel conflict has become a concern in the recent world history. This hostility started during October 2023, resulting in significant casualties on both sides.
 
The inhuman sufferings and displacement of the Palestinian Arab populations are one of the biggest in the recent time. The Hamas forces launched a coordinated attack targeting military bases including infiltrating inside the Israeli cities. Palestine Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas.

Hamas an organization of Palestine is running the administration of Gaza Strip from 2007. Hamas stands for the "Islamic Resistance Movement". The Gaza Strip, with an area of 365sq km accommodating more than two million Palestine populations. Gaza Strip is located on the Eastern cost of Mediterranean Sea having the border with Egypt on the South West and Israel on the East and North. The total land and the people of Gaza Strip are almost blocked by the State of Israel.

The Hamas movement started during 1987 in Gaza against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Hamas is having an ideological approach for establishing an Islamic State of Palestine and taking control over the Islamic holiest place al-Aqsa Mosque. The Holy al-Aqsa Mosque is located in the Israeli occupied territory of East Jerusalem. The Hamas organization is having a mission to clear the Jewish settlement in the West Bank. The organization is having a fighting capability with around 40,000 dedicated armed cadres. They are trained on modern technology and multiple war techniques. Presently Hamas is equipped with modern small arms, Drone and including Anti Tank equipments.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was established during 1964 in Cairo and presently its headquarters in West Bank in the State of Palestine. Palestinian bordering state Lebanon was facing a major civil war during 1975. The country was about to collapse. At that period the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) raised an army in southern Lebanon to destroy the state of Israel around 1978-79. Considering the threat, the Israeli army invaded southern Lebanon and almost destroyed PLO army in the year of 1982. Under the leadership of Yasser Arafat PLO reorganized in the West Bank of Palestine land. As on today PLO is a combination of many organizations under one umbrella. PLO is having a military force of 83,000 which was created under Oslo Peace Accords 1993. The Peoples Liberation Organization (PLO) is the official negotiating organization between Palestine and Israel and recognised by the UN. The PLO is having the observer status in the UN since 1974.

The State of Palestine is having many fighting groups to fight against Israel and to liberate the homeland. To fight back the Israeli occupation in the southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Shia Muslim organized a force known as "Hezbollah" (the Party of God). It was founded during 1982. This Islamist fighting group is having a strong military wing. Hezbollah forces are having a fighting capability of conventional and unconventional war with strength of around 100,000 trained fighters. Hezbollah is having its own training camps. During 2015-16, Hezbollah received 75 T-55 and T-  72 tanks and other armored vehicles to fight. Hezbollah forces are also having artillery guns and BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles. Hezbollah fighters are trained in "Drone" and capable of using it effectively with 50 trained drone pilots.

The State of Israel is recognized one of the technologically advanced nations in the world. Israeli defence capabilities have been strengthen much beyond of its geographical size and population. Israeli forces are strongly equipped with air force, naval fleet, and advanced long range nuclear weaponry system. The Israeli military is always highlighting its strategic strengths and significance in the region.

(To be continued) 
The writer is a freedom fighter and a retired army officer. He is now the Chairman of Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies



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