BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 8. Israel views
Azerbaijan as a key strategic partner, Eugene Sova, a member of the
Knesset from the “Israel Our Home” party and former vice-speaker,
told Trend in an
exclusive interview.
According to him, regardless of who is in power in Israel,
strong connections are maintained with Azerbaijan.
“Good relations exist between Azerbaijan and Israel not only at
the leadership level but also among the peoples. Azerbaijan, as a
country with significant influence, especially in the Muslim world,
has great prospects to play a role in improving Israel’s relations
with its neighbors. Azerbaijan has also played a significant role
in improving relations between Israel and Türkiye,” he said.
Eugene Sova noted that he is pleased to lead the
Israel-Azerbaijan Friendship Group during this visit.
“The Friendship Group is chaired by Knesset member Vladimir
Belyak, but unfortunately, due to medical reasons, he couldn’t
come. Three other members of the Knesset have accompanied me to
Azerbaijan. This is an official delegation from the Israeli
parliament as part of the activities of the Israel-Azerbaijan
Friendship Group. Therefore, in addition to the official meeting
with Sahiba Gafarova, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani
Parliament), we also had meetings with the head of the working
group on Azerbaijan-Israel relations of the Azerbaijani parliament,
Anatoly Rafaelov, and the Deputy Minister of Economy and Deputy
Foreign Minister,” he said.
The Knesset member believes that cooperation between parliaments
is a positive sign for investors, and it contributes to the
investment climate.
“We would like to see an event in the Azerbaijani parliament in
connection with International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January
27, as it is held in many parliaments around the world. I raised
this issue during the meetings as part of this visit. For us, this
is very important, as it is essentially a day to combat global
anti-Semitism. Of course, we know that there have never been any
cases of anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan, and we are grateful for that.
Even during Soviet times, Jewish people here felt like part of the
entire Azerbaijani society. There was no discrimination against
Jewish people in terms of employment based on their nationality,
for example. Azerbaijan is an ally of Israel, and this alliance is
highly valued in our country,” he added.
As for attempts by Armenians to compare the Holocaust with the
alleged “genocide” in Karabakh, Eugene Sova emphasized that the
Holocaust is unique in its scale and uniqueness in a negative
sense.
“I am aware of attempts to make such comparisons. We
categorically oppose any comparison with the Holocaust,” he
said.
The Knesset member added that the issue related to Iran was also
raised during the meetings held in Baku.
“We also discussed the problems related to Iran’s destabilizing
role in the region. Iran is the main destabilizer not only in the
Middle East but in the world as a whole. In this situation, our
common interests allow us to expand and strengthen cooperation in
all areas, from the military-industrial complex to intelligence and
international support. In this regard, Azerbaijan undoubtedly
represents a paramount strategic interest for us. It is worth
noting that before the Islamic Revolution, Israel and Iran had very
good relations. If a secret vote were conducted today among the
residents of Iran regarding their feelings toward Israel, I am
confident that the majority would have a positive response,” he
said.
Eugene Sova noted that as part of the visit, the delegation
visited Azerbaijan’s Cybersecurity Center, which was established
with the assistance of the large Israeli polytechnic institute,
Teknion Israel Group Ltd.
“A few months ago, Azerbaijan received a proposal to open a
center in the country for cybersecurity training to counter
cyberattacks. Teknion Israel Group Ltd. sent its instructors here,
and the Azerbaijani government opened a special center. We want the
people involved in cybersecurity in Azerbaijan to benefit to the
maximum extent from Israel, to gain maximum information. The
training is conducted entirely in English. This project is
estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars,” he said.
According to the MP, the question of expanding cooperation in
water resource management was also discussed, particularly in
addressing the issue of water scarcity.
“Israel is one of the global leaders in this field. Nearly 80
percent of the water we drink from the tap is desalinated seawater.
In the last 15-20 years, water purification technology has advanced
significantly in Israel. The Azerbaijani side is extremely
interested in cooperation in this area,” he said.
Eugene Sova noted that during the meeting with the Deputy
Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan, the possibilities of increasing
the frequency of flights between the two countries were also
discussed.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we had around 24 flights per
week, whereas today, due to various estimates, this figure is no
more than ten. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has resulted
in decrease in tourist traffic. The number of visitors from those
two countries accounted for about 15 percent of the total tourist
flow. From Azerbaijan, the number of tourists is around 30-35,000
per year. Azerbaijan is one of the countries from which more
tourists should come to Israel, and to achieve that, we need to
increase the number of flights,” he said.
Furthermore, the Knesset member emphasized that Azerbaijan is
the top supplier of oil to Israel.
“We need oil only for the production of petroleum products, not
for electricity generation. Israel has natural gas for that,” he
added.
According to Eugene Sova, there are significant prospects for
further expanding cooperation in the fields of agriculture, energy,
and healthcare.
“As mentioned during the meeting with the Deputy Foreign
Minister of Azerbaijan, there is currently a discussion about the
possibility of building an Israeli medical center in Azerbaijan.
This would allow us to invite Israeli doctors to Azerbaijan and
provide training for local medical professionals. Additionally, it
could facilitate the sale of Israeli medical equipment here,” he
noted.
In conclusion, the Knesset member extended his warm wishes for
the upcoming Jewish New Year.
“In two weeks, we will celebrate Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New
Year, followed by Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). I wish the
entire Azerbaijani people and the Jewish community in particular a
happy New Year. May you be sealed in the Book of Life. While here
on your land, I wish for the Azerbaijani people a successful new
year, a year of peace, further economic development, and the
expansion and strengthening of relations between Israel and
Azerbaijan. We will do everything required of us to achieve this,”
said Eugene Sova.
