Petr Lyukimson, Israel, exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Former Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman summed up the results of his tenure in an interview to VK. Lieberman described the significant strengthening of ties between Israel and Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan as one of his main achievements, which, in turn, led to the expansion of contacts of the Jewish state with Muslim countries in general.
"Today we can say that the governments of a number of moderate Islamic states are friendly to Israel, - the recent head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry said. - At the same time, they are often hesitant to openly support Israel in the international arena, in order not to aggravate their relations with fundamentalist regimes. We understand these concerns. But the situation in many Islamic countries, due, among other things, to the "Arab Spring", has started to change. Their peoples are finally beginning to realize that their problems are not related to the Palestinian issue and the very existence of Israel as they were told for decades. So, I think in the near future many surprises are waiting for us in our relations with the Muslim world."
At the same time, Lieberman said that Israel should not undertake any radical steps now, and it is better to wait.
"I'll give just one example - he said. - Some time ago, we were actively encouraged to make peace with Syria in exchange for the transfer of the Golan Heights occupied in 1967 to this country. We were promised a return of at least 100 years of peace with Syria. But just a few months after these "nudges" the civil war began in Syria. Imagine what could happen if we had really retreated from the Golan. Insurgents have repeatedly shelled the territory of these heights. But if we had made this error, they would now be a couple of kilometres from Tiberias and dozens of our towns, firing at their residents."
Lieberman said he hopes to return to the position of Foreign Minister soon after the election. But even if this does not happen, he said, Israel's relations with the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia will develop in the same direction, and cooperation with them will only widen. At the same time, focus will continue to be placed on the development of relations with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, which signed a number of long-term agreements on arms sales, new technologies, scientific and cultural exchange. A few weeks ago Lieberman was charged with abuse of public trust. The charge against the former minister is so negligible that everyone understands that imprisonment is not an option. The question is whether the judges will consider Lieberman's actions to be "defamatory for a public figure". If so, it will be forbidden for Lieberman to become a minister or some other high-ranking public figure for a number of years, and in this case he will be likely to abandon his political career.
