FLASH
Shkruar nga Miriam Blum
Albania offers Israel something increasingly rare in international diplomacy: a Muslim-majority European partner that combines moral credibility with pragmatic international representation...
This week, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama paid an official visit to Israel and delivered a speech to the Knesset, a moment that carries historical and symbolic weight. The leader of a Muslim-majority country addressing Israel’s legislative body is a rare moment, made all the more significant by his participation in an international conference on combating anti-Semitism organized by Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli.
On paper, Israel and Albania seem like an unlikely pair. One is a Middle Eastern state facing threats from all sides while modernizing the region; the other, a small Balkan country with a complex past and a rapidly modernizing present. In practice, however, their relationship is anchored not in convenience but in shared values, moral clarity, resilience, and an instinct to stay on the right side of history.
This foundation was laid during the darkest chapter of humanity.
During the Holocaust, Albania was the only European country to emerge with more Jews than it had before the war. Guided by Besa, an ancient Albanian code of honor that means a sacred promise to protect others, Muslim families hid Jews, forged documents, and risked their lives without hesitation.
According to Yad Vashem, Albanians sheltered approximately 2,000 Jewish refugees during World War II, and dozens of them have since been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. For Albanians, saving Jews was not an act of heroism; it was a moral obligation.
This sense of responsibility did not end with the war. Albania was among the first countries to recognize the State of Israel in 1949 and maintained diplomatic relations even during periods when this brought political costs. For Israel, a nation built by survivors and sustained by memory, such continuity carries a profound significance.
Today, this historic goodwill has translated into tangible cooperation. Israel and Albania maintain strong diplomatic relations and collaborate in technology, cybersecurity, agriculture, energy, and tourism. When a devastating earthquake struck Albania in 2019, Israel was among the first countries to offer assistance, sending rescue and humanitarian support at a time of national crisis. Albania’s decision in 2021 to open its embassy in Jerusalem was not merely symbolic; it reflected a relationship defined by reciprocity, trust, and moral stability within a European and NATO-oriented framework.
Albania offers Israel something increasingly rare in international diplomacy: a Muslim-majority European partner that combines moral credibility with pragmatic international representation. It provides Israel with diplomatic goodwill in the Balkans, a bridge to moderate Muslim audiences, and a credible voice in international forums that is not reflexively hostile to Israel.
The opportunity now is to elevate this relationship further. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can strengthen ties by transforming Albania from a quiet ally to a visible strategic partner, expanding economic and security cooperation, increasing high-level exchanges, and investing in cultural and educational initiatives that preserve shared historical memory.
Positioning Albania as a model for constructive Muslim-Jewish relations would serve not only bilateral interests, but also Israel's broader diplomatic position.
At a time when diplomatic friendships are fragile and increasingly transactional, the Israel-Albania relationship stands out.
It is sustainable, values-based and resilient, and still has considerable potential for growth. /Adapted from Times Of Israel /
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