Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Regional turmoil: On the West Asia situation

Regional turmoil: On the West Asia situation

West Asia needs a new security equilibrium (संतुलन) with the Palestine issue at the centre

The war on Gaza (a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt) is no longer about Israel and Hamas. Israel has carried out targeted strikes (आक्रमण, हड़ताल) in Lebanon and Syria, killing Hezbollah (Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based in Lebanon, where its extensive security apparatus, political organization, and social services network have fostered its reputation as “a state within a state.” Founded in the chaos of the fifteen-year Lebanese Civil War, the Iran-backed group is driven by its opposition to Israel and its resistance to Western influence in the Middle East), Hamas and Iranian commanders. From southern Lebanon, Hezbollah is exchanging fire with Israeli troops (armed forces, forces, soldiers). Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq have attacked U.S. forces in Syria and Iraq. The Houthis, the Iran-backed (supported by Iran) rebels of Yemen, have turned the Red Sea (A long, narrow sea between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula; links the Suez Canal with the Arabian Sea) into a battlefield. The U.S.’s air strikes in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, seek (aim, try, attempt) to retaliate (बदला लेना, प्रतिकार करना) against Shia militias. As chaos (अव्यवस्था) and instability (अस्थिरता) spread, Sunni Islamist militants (आतंकवादी) attacked Iran, killing at least 100 people. In the latest escalation (वृद्धि), Iran claims to have destroyed an Israeli intelligence ((military/political) information, facts, details, particulars) outpost (a remote colony, territory, province (of a country or empire)) in Iraq’s Kurdistan and training camps of Sunni Islamists (relating to a supporter of Islamic fundamentalism) in Syria and Pakistan, in air strikes. This is now a classic case of regional anarchy (अराजकता) where countries are taking unilateral (एकतरफ़ा) military measures (उपाय) to address (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) their perceived (कथित) security challenges, throwing international laws and the idea of sovereignty (संप्रभुता), the bedrock (आधार) of the international system, to the wind, thereby (जिसके चलते) risking a wider all-out (intense, aggressive, vigorous, powerful) war.

Just weeks before the October 7 attack, Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Adviser (the central co-ordinator and adviser to the prime minister/president and cabinet on security, intelligence, defence, and some foreign policy matters. They are based in the Cabinet Office and work across departments to bring together a coherent national security strategy that fits with the government’s priorities), had said “the Middle East is quieter today than it has been in two decades (a period of ten years)”. The Abraham Accords (it is a treaty of peace, diplomatic relations and full normalization between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel. It is signed in the White House on Tuesday (15th Sep, 2020) by the UAE, Bahrain and Israel, under U.S. President Donald Trump’s mediation) were on a strong footing, and Saudi Arabia and Israel were moving closer towards normalisation (the process of bringing something back to a normal condition). Iraq had become quieter; Gulf Arabs and Iran had reached a rapprochement (reconciliation, reuniting, restoration of harmony, compromise/understanding); and a ceasefire (a negotiated agreement that will be accompanied by other associated commitments to de-escalate the fighting; a temporary stoppage of war, truce, armistice) was holding (continue, persist, remain) in Yemen. Most of these changes, however, ignored the oldest crisis in the region — Israel’s continuing occupation (invasion, seizure, takeover, annexation) of the Palestinian territories. The October 7 Hamas attack and Israel’s subsequent (consequent, resultant, accompanying, associated, related, connected, attendant) vengeful (revenging, retaliatory, avenging) offensive in Gaza have not only brought Palestine back to the centre of West Asia but also lit fires (bombardment (or) emotion), triggering (cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate) perhaps (maybe, possibly, probably, conceivably, it is possible (that)) the deepest security crisis in the region since 1967. The involvement of non-state actors (participants (in an action)) and the absence of an off ramp complicate matters. After 100 days of war with Hamas, Israel has achieved little in Gaza. The Houthis, a militia that survived seven years of Saudi bombing, are unlikely (doubtful, implausible, improbable, questionable) to be deterred (prevent, stop, avert, block, hinder, obstruct; frighten, caution, discourage) by America’s strikes. Even though Iran wants to showcase strength and boldness, it cannot mask (hide, conceal, disguise, obscure) its inherent (natural, inborn, innate, instinctive, intrinsic, ingrained, deep-rooted) weakness, which also makes it unpredictable. The old order, anchored (secure, fasten, attach, connect firmly) by America’s domineering (monarchical, authoritative, high-handed, dictatorial, overbearing, autocratic, bossy) regional presence, is in tatters (shattered, destroyed; ruined, in disarray). What West Asia needs is a new security equilibrium. There has to be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and peace between Israel and Palestinians could be used as a springboard (something which provides support or motivation to do a particular course of action) for further talks (discussion, dialogue, consultation, deliberation) aimed at regional security between the main stakeholders (a person with an interest in something) — Israel, Arab nations, Iran, the U.S. and their respective allies and proxies (representative; deputy, substitute. (proxy war means war through a representative/agent)).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.turmoil (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उथल-पुथल
English Meaning - disorder, turbulence, confusion, trouble, chaos.

2.equilibrium (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संतुलन
English Meaning - balance, symmetry, equality.

3.strike (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आक्रमण, हड़ताल
English Meaning - attack, assault, bombing.

4.retaliate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बदला लेना, प्रतिकार करना
English Meaning - hit back, counterattack, take revenge, take vengeance for, avenge, settle a score, hit back at someone, pay someone back, get even.

5.chaos (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अव्यवस्था
English Meaning - disorder, disarray, turmoil, disorganization, disruption.

6.instability (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अस्थिरता
English Meaning - uncertainty, unpredictability, precariousness.

7.militant (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आतंकवादी
English Meaning - fanatic, extremist, radical, sectarian/partisan.

8.escalation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वृद्धि
English Meaning - intensification, aggravation, exacerbation.

9.anarchy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अराजकता
English Meaning - lawlessness, absence of government, disorder.

10.unilateral (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - एकतरफ़ा
English Meaning - In general, it is relating to the decision taken individually without consulting with the others concerned; personal, solitary, individual.

11.measure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपाय
English Meaning - action, act, step, move.

12.perceived (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कथित
English Meaning - discernable, noticeable, recognizable; recognized, identified, distinguished, supposed, regarded, considered.

13.sovereignty (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संप्रभुता
English Meaning - autonomy, independence, freedom, self-government, self-determination, self-rule.

14.bedrock (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आधार
English Meaning - core, basis/base, foundation.

15.thereby (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - जिसके चलते
English Meaning - as a result of that.

16.Gaza (noun)

English Meaning - a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt.

17.Hezbollah (noun)

English Meaning - Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based in Lebanon, where its extensive security apparatus, political organization, and social services network have fostered its reputation as “a state within a state.” Founded in the chaos of the fifteen-year Lebanese Civil War, the Iran-backed group is driven by its opposition to Israel and its resistance to Western influence in the Middle East.

18.Hamas (noun)

English Meaning - Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in Gaza.

19.exchange fire (phrase)

English Meaning - shoot at each other.

20.troops (noun)

English Meaning - armed forces, forces, soldiers.

21.Iran-backed (adjective)

English Meaning - supported by Iran.

22.militia (noun)

English Meaning - armed forces, military unit, insurgent, rebel (that involves in rebel/terrorist activities against the main/regular forces).

23.Houthis rebels (noun)

English Meaning - a decades-old resistance movement, born in opposition to Saudi Arabia’s religious influence. Yemen’s Houthi rebels are leading the fight against a Saudi-led coalition.

24.Red Sea (noun)

English Meaning - A long, narrow sea between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula; links the Suez Canal with the Arabian Sea.

25.seek (verb)

English Meaning - aim, try, attempt.

26.Islamist (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a supporter of Islamic fundamentalism.

27.intelligence (noun)

English Meaning - (military/political) information, facts, details, particulars.

28.outpost (noun)

English Meaning - a remote colony, territory, province (of a country or empire).

29.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

30.throw caution to the wind (phrase)

English Meaning - to behave or do something carelessly by ignoring risks/dangers involved in it.

31.all-out (adjective)

English Meaning - intense, aggressive, vigorous, powerful.

32.National Security Adviser (NSA) (noun)

English Meaning - the central co-ordinator and adviser to the prime minister/president and cabinet on security, intelligence, defence, and some foreign policy matters. They are based in the Cabinet Office and work across departments to bring together a coherent national security strategy that fits with the government’s priorities.

33.quieter comparative adjective of quiet (adjective)

English Meaning - silent, calm, peaceful, undisturbed, untroubled.

34.decade (noun)

English Meaning - a period of ten years.

35.Abraham accord (noun)

English Meaning - it is a treaty of peace, diplomatic relations and full normalization between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel. It is signed in the White House on Tuesday (15th Sep, 2020) by the UAE, Bahrain and Israel, under U.S. President Donald Trump’s mediation.

36.footing (noun)

English Meaning - stability, equilibrium, steadiness, balance, evenness, composure; standing, status, state, position.

37.normalisation (noun)

English Meaning - the process of bringing something back to a normal condition.

38.rapprochement (noun)

English Meaning - reconciliation, reuniting, restoration of harmony, compromise/understanding.

39.ceasefire (noun)

English Meaning - a negotiated agreement that will be accompanied by other associated commitments to de-escalate the fighting; a temporary stoppage of war, truce, armistice.

40.truce (noun)

English Meaning - an ad-hoc (temporary/makeshift) arrangement, arrived at by the combatants (fighters), to pause the fighting.

41.cessation of hostilities (phrase)

English Meaning - it means that the combatants are willing to stop fighting and to restrain their forces.

42.hold (verb)

English Meaning - continue, persist, remain.

43.occupation (noun)

English Meaning - invasion, seizure, takeover, annexation.

44.subsequent (adjective)

English Meaning - consequent, resultant, accompanying, associated, related, connected, attendant.

45.vengeful (adjective)

English Meaning - revenging, retaliatory, avenging.

46.offensive (noun)

English Meaning - attack, assault, onslaught, incursion, thrust, act of war, act of aggression.

47.lit past tense of light (verb)

English Meaning - kindle, ignite, spark (off).

48.fire (noun)

English Meaning - bombardment (or) emotion.

49.trigger (verb)

English Meaning - cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate.

50.perhaps (adverb)

English Meaning - maybe, possibly, probably, conceivably, it is possible (that).

51.deepest (comparative adjective) of deep (adjective)

English Meaning - intense, serious, grave.

52.actor (noun)

English Meaning - participants (in an action).

53.state actor (noun)

English Meaning - a state actor is a person who is acting on behalf of a governmental body.

54.non-state actor (noun)

English Meaning - an individual or organization that has significant political influence

55.off-ramp (noun)

English Meaning - exit lane; the exit from a highway. (“on-ramp” is entry lane; the entry onto a highway).

56.unlikely (adjective)

English Meaning - doubtful, implausible, improbable, questionable.

57.deter (verb)

English Meaning - prevent, stop, avert, block, hinder, obstruct; frighten, caution, discourage.

58.mask (verb)

English Meaning - hide, conceal, disguise, obscure.

59.inherent (adjective)

English Meaning - natural, inborn, innate, instinctive, intrinsic, ingrained, deep-rooted.

60.old world order (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to a period of history evidencing world political thought and the balance of power in international relations existed before Second World War (or pre-Cold War Era.)

61.anchor (verb)

English Meaning - secure, fasten, attach, connect firmly.

62.domineering (adjective)

English Meaning - monarchical, authoritative, high-handed, dictatorial, overbearing, autocratic, bossy.

63.in tatters (phrase)

English Meaning - shattered, destroyed; ruined, in disarray.

64.springboard (noun)

English Meaning - something which provides support or motivation to do a particular course of action.

65.talks (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, dialogue, consultation, deliberation.

66.stakeholder (noun)

English Meaning - a person with an interest in something.