Hybrid solutions to protracted conflicts (Part 1)

The current international environment is too complex and uncertain. The Democratic Party cannot decide whether to allow President Biden to run against Donald Trump in the November 2024 election. The Labour Party broke its record by ousting the unelected Rishi Sunak. French President Emmanuel Macron also suffered a general election defeat, although he remains president. Prime Minister Modi is in power again, this time with the help of his coalition partners.
On the other hand, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza are still going on, and the stronger side is gaining ground. The situation of the people of Kashmir has not been alleviated, and the conflicts in Yemen and Syria have not been resolved. This reminds me of what I said before, that the current leadership of the Western world is not sincere and is not capable of resolving conflicts in different regions.
The Russian and Chinese leaderships have enough capabilities and strength to deal with these problems, but they are busy consolidating their power to overthrow the hegemony of the United States as the sole superpower.
What should we do now? Should we leave noncombatants to the mercy of unequal military forces (UMPs) that have reduced these places to ruin: Gaza, Rafah, Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and many African countries, or should we make a scholarly effort to address these protracted conflicts?
The suggestions listed below may sound simplistic or idealistic, but they are certainly feasible if they are sincerely pursued by capable people around the world, especially for long-standing conflicts such as Palestine, Kashmir, Yemen, Syria, and even the Ukrainian war.
I believe that there are no short-term and simple solutions to the protracted conflicts mentioned above, but they cannot be left alone because the loss of non-combatant lives and property over the decades is too great. Therefore, a mixed approach must be adopted, involving efforts in all areas: diplomatic, political, socio-cultural, economic, and, as a last resort, selective military.
I will briefly explain each of these areas in the following paragraphs, but it is important to reiterate that hybrid efforts are not undertaken in isolation or by just one party.
In the diplomatic field, active diplomacy needs to be implemented, which means that efforts must be made to find viable solutions instead of forming alliances to start wars, as in the case of the Ukrainian war. Diplomatic efforts are clearly missing, and the Western alliance only supports war efforts, thus practicing passive diplomacy. Similarly, the passive diplomacy of the United States in the ceasefire efforts in the Gaza war has cost the lives of thousands of non-combatants, especially children. Perhaps, it is necessary to take into account the historical legacy that Israel inherited from the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Only in the era before the rise of Prophet Moses (may Allah bless him) did the pharaohs kill newborn male babies. However, Israel forgets that Prophet Moses (may Allah bless him) not only survived, but also grew up in the palace of the Pharaoh.
In addition to diplomacy, efforts must be made in the socio-cultural field to bring the peoples of the warring countries closer together. Arabs (Muslims, Christians and Jews) have lived together since ancient times. Even if they fought before, they knew how to coexist in a diverse society, however, it was not until the creation of the illegal state of Israel that people became enemies of each other. I believe that socio-cultural approaches between different communities can reduce the intensity of conflicts and thus manage them in the context of mixed solutions to long-standing conflicts.
I think a regional approach might be more prudent because of the cultural ties between the communities. Extra-regional powers might be asked to let regional powers find viable solutions in multiple areas. Let the people decide who they want to live with and how they will deal with their conflicts. The Hijaz and the Levant is a blessed region with numerous resources and opportunities to survive without any external support. Each religious community may have its own historical claims to territories and religious sites. Let them decide who is right and who is wrong because extra-regional support for Israel emboldens it to ignore the rights of other communities.
Likewise, Russia and Ukraine have deep historical ties, and were it not for NATO’s ambitious eastward expansion to Russia’s borders, President Vladimir Putin would not have entered Ukrainian territory to avoid direct contact with NATO forces.
Most of these wars and conflicts are due to the intervention of extra-regional powers in bilateral issues. I believe that finding a hybrid solution at the regional level is the key to resolving long-standing conflicts between countries. At least efforts must be made to protect smaller countries from the wrath of overly ambitious global powers.
In part two, I will discuss other areas such as politics, economics, and the military. (To be continued)