Israeli political scientist: "Strong independent Azerbaijan is in direct interests of Israel"

Recently, after the outbreak of hostilities in Azerbaijan, I heard and read amazing words: "How can you, Jews, support a Muslim country? Why Jews from Azerbaijan support Azerbaijan? What is Israel's interest in supporting Baku?" These questions are important, smart and respected people have asked and continue to ask them. Therefore, I will try to answer.

Why do Jews from Azerbaijan ardently support Azerbaijan? I was born and raised in Baku. In the center of the city, not far from the Central Department Store, on Azizbekov Street (now Safarli). My family has lived in Baku since the beginning of the last century. Therefore, the question of why the Jews fully support Azerbaijan is at the address. Azerbaijan has always been an example of tolerance and respect. Jews in Azerbaijan have always been valued, respected, and there has never been anti-Semitism here. Unlike many other republics of the former Soviet Union. In Baku, where I grew up, in a warm multinational city, no distinction was made between people of different nationalities. We lived as one big, warm and friendly family. And there were holidays together and in difficult times. Jews, Azerbaijanis, Russians, Armenians and Ukrainians studied with me in the same class ... We celebrated birthdays together, played football, looked after girls ...

I don't know who needed to break that life so harshly and mercilessly. Who won in "Black January" by sending the tanks of the Soviet army to crush defenseless people in Baku, who and where earned on purposeful incitement of the conflict with Armenia ... When did Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan began, when Azerbaijanis were driven out without clothes, barefoot through mountain passes from Armenia and from In Karabakh, hundreds of thousands of peaceful Azerbaijanis were expelled by the Armenians from their plundered homes, then we in Baku saw a lot of pain and blood. We saw the death of our soldiers at the front while repelling aggression. We, the Jews who lived in Baku, saw the pain, blood and suffering that the incitement of the Karabakh conflict brought. We saw the victims of Khojaly, a village whose inhabitants were massacred, tortured and shot at point-blank range by the Armenian military - hundreds of children, women, old people died there ...

Few people in the world know about the pain of Azerbaijan, but we saw it with our own eyes ... Those were hard, terrible times. But never the troubles that the Azerbaijani people experienced did not affect the attitude towards the Jewish community of the country. In Azerbaijan we lived as one friendly multinational family. We celebrated birthdays together, went to holidays together and grieved at funerals ... Therefore, wherever life has thrown us today, Jews from Azerbaijan cherish and will keep in their hearts warmth, gratitude and love for the land they grew up on. I hope I answered this question.

It is also the answer to the second question I was asked - "How can you Jews support a Muslim country?" Well, what a question such a question could come to. As they say in Odessa, "if I had such a head, I would sit on it" ... Well, I should have thought of asking this ... But I will try to answer nonetheless. The fact is that we grew up together, respecting each other and the religion of each nation. And they never divided people by nationality or religion. There has never been anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan ...

Often, we didn’t even know who was Kurdish in our class, who was Russian, who was Azeri or Jew, and nobody was interested in it ... It’s important - what kind of person you are, what you can present and do, by and large. Gd created all of us in his own image and likeness ... And I am sure no one would even think of asking such a crazy question here in Baku ... Such questions are asked by those who sow hatred and discord, those who consider their people higher other nations, and other nations are subhumans ...

There was such a person Albert Agarunov, an Azerbaijani tanker, the National Hero of Azerbaijan, a Jew by nationality. He fought heroically in Nagorno-Karabakh, knocking out many enemy tanks. When asked what makes a Jew defend the Azerbaijani land, Agarunov replied: "I live on this land, I was born here, grew up, this is my home. And nothing else makes me." Albert Agarunov died in a battle in Nagorno-Karabakh. The hero of Azerbaijan was buried on the Martyrs' Alley in Baku, and during the funeral, the rabbi and the mullah read prayers at the same time, the family asked. And in the center of Baku a monument was erected to Albert Agarunov. This is me about the relationship between Jews and Muslims in Azerbaijan.

And the last question - what is Israel's interest in supporting Azerbaijan? For many years Israel and Azerbaijan have been linked by strong bonds of friendship and strategic partnership, established by President Heydar Aliyev, the father of President Ilham Aliyev. Trade between our states is constantly growing, cultural ties are expanding. Israel supplies Azerbaijan with the most modern technologies, Azerbaijan provides oil for Israel, which is vital for our country. Many heroic operations of the Israeli special services, which cannot be talked about, could not have been carried out without the support of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan helps Israel to ensure the country's security. Israel fully reciprocates, strengthening Azerbaijan's defenses and providing a strong shoulder of friendly assistance. The relations between Israel and Azerbaijan are an example of how relations between states should and can be built on a mutually beneficial basis ... Without a doubt, a strong independent Azerbaijan is Israel's direct interest, which strengthens Israel's position in the region.

And, finally, subjectively, from me personally. Any war is a tragedy. What are the Armenian soldiers doing far from their country, in a foreign land? Let them return home and let no mother cry over her lost son again. From the point of view of international law, Armenia currently illegally occupies 20% of the territory of sovereign Azerbaijan. In addition to Nagorno-Karabakh, seven regions were captured, connecting Karabakh with Armenia and its ally Iran. The troops of the Republic of Azerbaijan are fighting on the territory of Azerbaijan to liberate their land. Without approaching the borders of Armenia. Azerbaijanis are fighting for the liberation of their land. Including for the liberation of the village of Khojaly. More precisely, the ruins and graves that remained on the site of Khojaly ... And with all my heart I wish the people and the army of Azerbaijan success and victory in this just struggle for their home.