Azerbaijani-Israeli relations have begun to develop in all spheres. One of them is our media, which expands its network day by day. By the way, this time our interviewer is Rachel Avraham, an Israeli journalist who is a close friend of the International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) and analytical news portal Ednews operating under the auspices of the organisation. This is the second visit of Rachel to Azerbaijan. Her first visit to Azerbaijan was after the Second Karabakh War. In an interview with Ednews, the journalist spoke about the Israeli-Azerbaijani friendship and touched upon interesting points.
- Israel's relations with Azerbaijan are far more close. This manifested itself once again during the Great Patriotic War. What do you think can be Israel's further role in the Karabakh issue and the settlement of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations?
- There are both historical and political reasons that bring Azerbaijan and Israel together. I believe that the state of Israel, as during the war, is now with Azerbaijan and is ready to provide full support in resolving the outstanding issues related to Karabakh. I would also like to note that Israel's support for Azerbaijan exists not only in the political, but also in the economic sphere. Israel has taken the initiative to rebuild the liberated territories, especially in connection with a major project of the Gerat Return. During my first visit to Karabakh, I saw that Israeli companies were already operating there. I believe that Karabakh will soon become a prosperous place in the joint efforts of friendship and brotherhood.
- When we say Azerbaijan, we also mean Turkey, which is an integral part of it. Turkey is a partner that will always face Israel, both in Karabakh and in the region. However, Turkey often confronts Israel in the political arena over the the issue of Palestine. At this point, how do you see the prospects of relations between the two countries?
- You know, although Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has always defended Palestine, he also strongly condemns anti-Semitism and terrorism. Erdogan is an objective leader, and he has repeatedly stressed that terrorism has no place in Turkish culture.
In fact, as for the Palestinian issue, I do not think that there were any tensions between Turkey and Israel before, nor will there be any serious tensions after Erdogan. It is true that there was some political rhetoric between Turkey and Israel, but this did not lead to the severance of interstate relations in general. You know, there are strong economic and trade relations between Israel and Turkey. Also, the recent meetings and talks between the leaders have changed the views of official Ankara on Israel, and I believe that relations will continue to be positive in a stable direction.
- We would like to know your opinion about the Russia-Ukraine war and the tension in the region. Russia, in particular, is entering the second phase of the war by stepping up missile and artillery attacks on Ukraine. What do you think Rusia is doing by changing its position in the invasion of Ukraine?
- I would say that all this is a game of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin realizes that he has not achieved anything in this war and is just trying to use new tactics to cover up his failure. By heating up the war, he is just trying to show that he is a strong and leading party in this game. Let's take a look at the Russian economy or the economic sanctions imposed on the country of Russia by the West. Obviously, Russian economy is on the verge of collapse. If Russia does not get rid of the sanctions, it may have a long and difficult time to rebuild its economy. In addition, Russia has lost its prestige in the international arena. Putin is using a crazy military tactic to attract such a theory just to stay in power.
- You have visited Azerbaijan last year after the victory in the Great Patriotic War? What is the purpose of your visit this time?
- Last year, on the eve of the victory, I came to Azerbaijan and I visited Shusha directly from Baku with military escorts. At that time, Azerbaijan was very different, and even now I am very excited to see Shusha again. When we visited Karabakh and Shusha, there was a smell of gunpowder. There was no market or man anywhere to buy food or have a talk. Everyone around us was in military uniform, and we shared the food of the Azerbaijani soldier. This time I am going to Shusha for the first ever "International Food Festival". I believe I will witness a great change there.
By Elnur Enveroglu