Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama arrived in Israel on Jan. 26, right after adding his country to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza and just before a possible escalation with Iran. He knows Iran well, and he harbors no affection for its regime.

In July 2022, Albania experienced a massive cyberattack that hit central government systems, public services and databases. It soon became clear that the ayatollah regime stood behind the attack.

Rama responded forcefully. He expelled Iranian diplomats, closed the Islamic Republic’s embassy, and strengthened security cooperation with the U.S. and Israel. If Tehran thought an intellectual and artistic prime minister would be easy prey, they were badly mistaken.

“Cyberattacks and Iran’s operations against Albania confirmed something important: There are regimes that export instability as a survival mechanism,” Rama, 61, said in a conversation with Israel Hayom.

“Against Tehran’s murderers, our path has been clear—removing their embassy from the country and connecting with Israel to build one of the most advanced cyber systems in the world,” he said.

“Albania supports the Iranian people’s right to choose their future freely, without oppression and without fear. Any change in Iran must come from the people’s will itself. As long as Khomeinism lives, freedom is dead and buried.”

Rama’s position at the head of the Socialist Party of Albania since 2005 makes him, apparently, the only socialist leader in the world who sees eye to eye with Trump on quite a few things—and with Israel.

“Albania-Israel relations are strategically mature and can only strengthen, because they are not built on convenience or momentary alignment,” he declared. “They are rooted in something deeper than interests alone, and older than shared democratic instincts. Their true foundation is a long moral memory.

“Between Albania and Israel there exists a political partnership, but above all, a human connection. A connection built through real choices and taking genuine risks, in moments when shared standing mattered more than convenience.

“It grew from shared responsibility for security, from trust earned in silence, and from cooperation that needs no slogans, ceremonies or declarations to exist. This connection exists in loyalty that has been tested, in a memory of respect, and in the quiet certainty of knowing who stands by your side when it truly matters. For us, Israel is a friend,” Rama said.

‘Israel is the reference point for learning’

Such a perception of the Jewish state is not to be take for granted when dealing with a country with a clear Muslim majority such as Albania, especially since external players have already tried to extend their arms toward it and ignite the flames of radical Islam.

“Radical Islam is not just a security threat, it is also a cultural and civilizational threat,” Rama said. “It is a direct threat to liberal democracy and social peace, and it is also a threat to Islam itself, because it turns faith into a political tool of death.

“The Balkans know this danger up close. We know what happens when identity becomes a weapon, and when religion is exploited as a political tool. Albania’s strength lies in a long tradition of religious coexistence, supported by a secular state that guarantees freedom of religion and shows zero tolerance toward violent extremism.”

This perception led Albania to play a leading role in the “Aqaba Process.” In this framework, religious leaders from the Western Balkans were brought together—Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Jews—to address the roots of radicalization. Rama, who was baptized Catholic in childhood but is now an atheist, sees only good things in that attempt.

“Israel is not part of the process, but it is a reference point from which we learn,” he said. “Israel’s experience in intelligence, in prevention, and in social resilience, acquired under constant and real threat, offers lessons that every serious democracy must learn carefully.

“The ability to defend citizens while maintaining democratic life is not accidental, it is built, tested and refined constantly. The shared lesson is clear—be firm in security, smart and proactive in prevention, and uncompromising in defending the democratic way of life,” Rama said.

‘Hamas is a double-edged sword’

Albania’s prime minister is a colorful figure, in every sense. Behind him lies a sports and artistic past (he played basketball for the national team and later became a painter), and quite a few unconventional stories. For example, one of his actions as mayor of Tirana, Albania’s capital, involved painting the city’s buildings in bright colors to breathe life into it, in his words. He compared Tirana’s transformation to a sick woman confined to bed who suddenly puts on makeup and lipstick and springs from her sickbed. Criticism of the move did not divert Rama from his path.

Criticism of his friendship with Israel does not move him from his course. While he makes sure to weave praise for the Jewish state alongside mentions of his country’s support for Palestinians and aspiration for a “two-state solution,” the praise, especially in difficult arenas like the U.N., sticks in memory.

Rama bases his loathing of Hamas on balanced concern for both sides. “Hamas is a double-edged sword—one blade on Israel’s neck and the other blade on the Palestinians’ own necks. To deny this is not neutrality, but moral evasion. In multilateral forums, Albania supports unambiguously Israel’s right to exist and defend its citizens, clearly and without hesitation,” he said.

“We reject outright the normalization of antisemitism in all its forms, including when it disguises itself as political language or selective rage. And we reject the claim that solidarity with Palestinians requires silence in the face of terror or blurring the atrocities of Oct. 7—events that should not be addressed with ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.”

Q: Albania cooperates closely with Israel in security and counterterrorism. What other areas would you like to deepen?

Edi Rama: Our cooperation with Israel is already real and functioning, so we seek to deepen it where it truly matters. First, cyber. Israel’s experience and support showed us how to move from vulnerability to resilience. We seek to deepen cooperation in defending state systems, critical infrastructure and the digital backbone of our democracy.

Second, defense capabilities. We are building Albania’s defense industry through concrete partnerships with Israeli companies, emphasizing technology transfer, local production and training.

Third, intelligence and counter-terrorism. Not just against classic terror networks, but also against hybrid threats, influence operations and state-sponsored subversion. Israel’s experience in this field is unprecedented, and learning from it is a strategic priority.

Fourth, cooperation in high-tech, health, education and innovation. It is harder to attack and harder to undermine a strong, modern, innovative state.

And finally, tourism. The number of Israeli tourists visiting Albania grew by almost 800% last year. This means Israelis feel safe in Albania, and security is the deepest form of trust. Tourism creates human connections and opens the door to investments and long-term presence.

Israel’s innovation ecosystem is exactly the kind of practical genius Albania seeks to connect with. In technology, we aspire to partnerships in digital governance, artificial intelligence, fintech and smart education, and we are working on several interesting projects, for example, the first digital bank, which will become operational soon.

In water, we focus on efficiency and precision agriculture solutions adapted to changing climate. In energy, we are interested in storage, smart grid management and clean energy integration, and discussions are underway. Israeli brains and experience are the best one can dream of.

Albania will bring its values and friendships into the European Union, not leave them at the entrance. To the people of Israel, I want to say: In a period when fear and hatred move quickly, you have shown the world what resilience looks like. Albania will stand by your side and fight antisemitism—always.

Q: How does culture influence your approach to leadership, diplomacy and statesmanship?

A: Culture teaches us that human beings are not statistics, and that societies are not machines. In diplomacy, culture helps with listening, reading the room and understanding that symbolism has meaning. In leadership, it allows us to imagine futures before they are created. Politics without imagination becomes mere management. Imagination without responsibility becomes emptiness.

Small and medium states succeed only when they adhere to clarity. Clear in their values. Swift in their alliances. Excellent in a limited number of strategic fields. We have no privilege of ideological laziness or moral ambiguity.

Israel demonstrates how a state can be small in territory and population, yet mighty in capabilities, resilience and strategic intelligence. Size is not destiny. Choices determine. Albania aspires to learn from the best and be respected not for its power, but for its consistency.

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Rama believes Israel can contribute not only to his country but to strengthening stability in the Balkans generally. “Israel can play a positive role through economic partnerships, innovation and security cooperation, as well as through cultural and educational bridges,” he elaborated.

“I see Albania as a modern European state, fully integrated in the E.U., contributing security-wise in our region, serving as a reliable ally of democratic partners and continuing to be a champion in hospitality and growing as a hub for sustainable development in the Mediterranean and Balkans. I want Albania to be identified with stability, creative energy, and moral clarity, including in the fight against antisemitism and all forms of hatred.”

Learning from Jewish leaders

When asked whom he sees as his role model as a state, Rama turns to surprising sources of inspiration. “I learn from different Jewish leaders different traits. From David Ben-Gurion, the iron discipline of state-building under existential threat, and the ability to establish institutions while fighting for survival itself. From Golda Meir, the ability to speak hard truths without theatrics and bear leadership’s loneliness without seeking sympathy.”

“From leaders like Ariel Sharon, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres,” he added, “I learn leadership’s hardest lesson—how to be warriors without becoming prisoners of war; how to pursue peace without surrendering security; how to lead when history demands decisions, not applause; and how to bear responsibility instead of following the crowd.”

Rama also has warm words for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “He is undoubtedly an influential leader. As finance minister, he helped shape Israel’s transformation into Startup Nation. As prime minister, his name is associated with national resilience and survival against extraordinary odds.

“However, my role is not to judge Israeli democracy from outside, but to respect it. Israel is a strong democracy. Its debates are internal, and choices belong to its citizens. Albania’s role is clear, to be a serious and reliable friend of Israel and the Israeli people across the entire political spectrum.”

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

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