Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Widening conflict: On an elusive peace in West Asia

Widening conflict: On an elusive peace in West Asia

As long as the Gaza war drags on, peace will be elusive in West Asia

A rocket attack on a football ground in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights (Internationally recognized as Syrian territory occupied by Israel. Israel seized this Golan Plateau from Syria in 1967 and the status of this territory “remains unchanged”), in which 12 young people were killed, has taken West Asia to the brink (कगार) of a wider war. Israel and the U.S. have blamed Hezbollah, Lebanon’s powerful Shia militia (armed forces, military unit, insurgent, rebel (that involves in rebel/terrorist activities against the main/regular forces)) that is backed (support, help, assist, favour) by Iran, for the attack. Hezbollah, which initially claimed rocket strikes (हमला) on an Israeli military outpost (a remote colony, territory, province (of a country or empire)) in the nearby Mount Hermon, later denied any role in this incident. But Israel has not bought Hezbollah’s claims and is preparing its response. From October 7, 2023, the day Hamas (Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in Gaza) carried out a cross-border (सीमा पार) attack in Israel, killing an estimated 1,200 people, a slow-burning (slow-paced) war has been raging on Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah. When Israel launched the Gaza (a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt) war following the Hamas attack, Hezbollah began rocket attacks from southern Lebanon, its stronghold (fort, fortress, bulwark, mainstay, support), mostly targeting Israel’s military outposts in the occupied Shebaa Farms or the Upper Galilee region of northern Israel. Hezbollah’s attacks forced some 60,000 Israelis to flee (escape, abscond, run away, take flight, leave abruptly/hastily) from Upper Galilee, with Israeli forces carrying out air strikes inside Lebanon in retaliation (प्रतिशोध, बदला). Hezbollah claimed that it was fighting Israel “in solidarity (एकजुटता)” with the Palestinians, while Israel’s leadership said none of Hezbollah’s attacks would go unpunished. However, both sides were, until recently, cautious (सतर्क, सावधान) not to let the conflict (संघर्ष, टकराव) spiral (get worse, worsen, deteriorate, decline) into an all-out (intense, aggressive, vigorous, powerful) war. But the Majdal Shams attack seems to have broken those unwritten rules (अलिखित नियम) of the war.

Hezbollah’s claim that it was not involved in the attack cannot be taken for granted. It is possible that the group targeted IDF outposts in the Golan Heights, under Israel’s illegal occupation (कब्जा, अनुक्रमण) since 1967, and the rocket fell on the football field, but still the responsibility lies with the militia. Israel’s hands are not clean either. The IDF, whose Gaza campaign (अभियान) has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians (नागरिक, सामान्य व्यक्ति), has also carried out strikes in Lebanon’s civilian neighbourhoods ((surrounding) area, region, district/country). Hezbollah and Israel last fought an all-out war in 2006, and it did not end well for the Jewish state. Hezbollah also takes credit in forcing Israel to withdraw from (leave, pull out of, move out of, retreat from, pull back from) southern Lebanon after 18 years of occupation. And since 2006, Hezbollah has built a stronger army and a huge stockpile (भंडार, संग्रह) of weapons. A war could spiral out of control with a high risk of Iran’s involvement (participation, engagement). Hezbollah’s rocket attacks in recent months have only provoked (उकसाना) Israel; and Israeli strikes on Lebanon have done little in deterring (रोकना, निषेध करना) the group. This cycle of violence is self-defeatist (counterproductive, self-defeating, futile) and there will be peace only if both parties reset (re-establish (something)) the current hostility (opposition, conflict, resentment, enmity, aversion, antipathy) and calm the borders. The obvious (clear, evident, apparent, distinct, noticeable, tangible) first step is to end the war which triggered (cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate) this regional crisis — the war on Gaza.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.widening (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - फैलता हुआ, बढ़ता हुआ
English Meaning - increasing, expanding, intensifying.

2.conflict (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष, टकराव
English Meaning - war, warfare, armed conflict, military action, armed clash.

3.brink (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कगार
English Meaning - edge/verge/end (of something).

4.strike (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हमला
English Meaning - attack.

5.cross-border (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सीमा पार
English Meaning - across a border between two states/countries.

6.retaliation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिशोध, बदला
English Meaning - revenge, vengeance, counter-attack.

7.solidarity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - एकजुटता
English Meaning - unity, unanimity, harmony, cohesion, cooperation.

8.cautious (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सतर्क, सावधान
English Meaning - careful, wary, heedful, vigilant , circumspect, mindful.

9.unwritten rule (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अलिखित नियम
English Meaning - custom, tradition, convention, practice.

10.occupation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कब्जा, अनुक्रमण
English Meaning - invasion, seizure, takeover, annexation.

11.campaign (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभियान
English Meaning - military operation(s), offensive, attack, manoeuvre(s), engagement..

12.civilian (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नागरिक, सामान्य व्यक्ति
English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

13.stockpile (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भंडार, संग्रह
English Meaning - supply, stock; reserve, accumulation, collection, amassment.

14.provoke (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उकसाना
English Meaning - kindle, trigger, give rise to, prompt, rouse, incite.

15.deter (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रोकना, निषेध करना
English Meaning - prevent, stop, block, halt.

16.elusive (adjective)

English Meaning - difficult to find, difficult to achieve; intangible.

17.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.

18.drag on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - continue, persist, linger, carry on.

19.Golan Heights (noun)

English Meaning - Internationally recognized as Syrian territory occupied by Israel. Israel seized this Golan Plateau from Syria in 1967 and the status of this territory “remains unchanged”.

20.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.

21.militia (noun)

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

22.back (verb)

English Meaning - support, help, assist, favour.

23.outpost (noun)

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

24.bought past & past participle of buy (verb)

English Meaning - accept the truth of.

25.Hamas (noun)

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

26.slow-burning (adjective)

English Meaning - slow-paced.

27.rage (verb)

English Meaning - be uncontrollable, be violent; continue with high intensity.

28.stronghold (noun)

English Meaning - fort, fortress, bulwark, mainstay, support.

29.flee (verb)

English Meaning - escape, abscond, run away, take flight, leave abruptly/hastily.

30.spiral (verb)

English Meaning - get worse, worsen, deteriorate, decline.

31.all-out (adjective)

English Meaning - intense, aggressive, vigorous, powerful.

32.take for granted (phrase)

English Meaning - assume, presume, suppose, accept, believe (something is true without cross-questioning it); For example, if people take something for granted, they do not place much value on it. Or you believe it to be true, real or expected.

33.Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) (noun)

English Meaning - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are the armed forces of Israel, comprising the Israeli army, navy, and air force. it is was established in 1948 and commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acronym Tzahal.

34.clean hands (phrase)

English Meaning - innocence, without guilt, freedom from guilt.

35.neighbourhood (noun)

English Meaning - (surrounding) area, region, district/country.

36.take credit for something (phrase)

English Meaning - to claim or accept praise, approval, or honour for something.

37.withdraw from (verb)

English Meaning - leave, pull out of, move out of, retreat from, pull back from.

38.spiral/spin out of control (phrase)

English Meaning - change/move in an uncontrolled way & quickly.

39.involvement (noun)

English Meaning - participation, engagement.