Israeli Ambassador: "Iran will not be able to hinder Israeli-Azerbaijani relations" (VIDEO)

An exclusive interview of Turan agency with George Deek, Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan

Question: Mr. Ambassador, you are of Arab origin. Please tell me how it can happen in a country, which is in a state of war with its Arab neighbors. Are there any other examples when non-Jews occupy high posts in the state structures of Israel?

Answer: Israel is a democratic country and the laws of the country are the same for all citizens.

Suffice it to say that 20% of the population of Israel are non-Jews, Arabs like me, Christians, Muslims, Druses and people of other religions. We are very proud of this variety and the possibility of integrating various religious and ethnic minorities into Israeli society.

For instance, we have an Arab judge, a member of the Supreme Court. Arabs are represented in the leadership of the high-tech and innovation sector. One of them is Johny Srouji, the senior Vice President of "Apple".

Also, a number of well-known Israeli doctors of worldwide reputation are Arabs. More than 40 per cent of pharmacists in Israel are Arabs. A number of leading specialists from the Weizmann Institute are also Arabs. So we are very proud to be represented in the government, in the judiciary and among diplomats. By the way, I am not the first Arab Ambassador of Israel. Currently our Ambassador in Finland is a Muslim Arab, our future Ambassador in Turkmenistan is a Bedouin Arab.

All this is a convincing evidence of the diversity and democracy of Israel. In this regard, we share Azerbaijan's traditions, ethnic diversity, tolerance and the coexistence of different religions.

In spite of the fact that we live in a conflict zone, we succeed in preserving all this diversity. As a Christian Arab, I am the Ambassador of Israel. When I go to the synagogue in Baku, I communicate with Azeri-speaking Jews. This diversity brings our countries together.

Question: How true is it that the new Government of Israel has tightened the rules of repatriation and today Israel does not accept those whose grandparents are Jews?

Answer: The new government has not changed these rules, but there is an ongoing debate on the issue. Some members of the coalition government agree with the idea, some do not. The opposition, represented by the previous government, also disagrees with such an approach.

Under the Jewish law, Jewishness is passed down through the mother's side of the family. At present, a person is authorized to be repatriated to Israel if his grandparents were Jewish.

Proposals to change these law are still being discussed. The last word is the Knesset (parliament) which will either approve or disapprove these proposals.

Question: It was announced last year that Israel was relocating Jewish repatriation points from Russia to Azerbaijan. Has this system already been put in place and how will it operate?

Answer: In fact, this is not about a new system or relocation of repatriation points. The idea is that Jews from Russia will be provided an opportunity to use Azerbaijan for transit. It already operates quite well: people get to Baku by planes and then fly to Israel. There are no camps or bases where these people stay. This is done to make it easier for people to move more comfortably.

Question: The new Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu has declared the fight against the Iranian regime as one of its foreign policy priorities. This is not a secret that Tehran is extremely sensitive to the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel. Is Israel ready to protect its interests in Azerbaijan and withstand Tehran's attempts to damage Azerbaijan-Israeli relations?

Answer: I'd like to correct you. Netanyahu did not say it would be a priority. He said that Iran will be the biggest and most important priority and not only the foreign policy, but the national security policy of Israel as a whole.

The question is that Iran remains Israel's biggest threat. The extent of this threat is defined by the fact that Iran can build nuclear weapons. This is a threat not only to Israel, but also to Iran's neighbors and the entire region, as well as to the interests of the US, Europe and Russia. The same threat to peace is posed by North Korea's nuclear program.

We cannot allow that, and Israel will do its utmost, alone or with the support of other countries, to deter Iran from possessing nuclear weapons.

At the same time I think that Iran is not only an Israeli or Azerbaijani problem, it is a global problem, and the whole world should try to prevent not only the development of a nuclear bomb, but also the military intervention of Iran in the neighboring countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, South Caucasus and other places.

Iran is not only a nuclear threat, but also as a supplier of weapons such as the kamikaze drones it is now supplying to Russia. Iran is also training terrorist fighters Hezbollah in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, militants in Syria or the Husseiniyah militant group.

The aim of Tehran is to create a zone of instability around and to impede by all means the cooperation of Islamic countries with Israel. Iran is also strongly opposed to Azerbaijan's cooperation with Israel, but no one can hinder our relations.

Question: Tehran accuses Baku that Israel is conducting intelligence operations against Iran from the territory of Azerbaijan. Can you comment on this?

Answer: Ask them about it.

Question: Is that all?

Answer: Yes. I can only add that we do not comment on security issues, regardless whether they are true or fake.

Question: Last year's important event was the decision to open Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel. Is introduction of visa-free regime, more flights, favorable trade regime and something else possible in the future?

Answer: First of all, I'd like to congratulate Azerbaijan on this decision. This will raise Azerbaijan's representation in our country to a new level and strengthen our strategic relations. In particular, it will enable Baku to conduct direct dialogue with the government and business community of Israel.  Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev visited Israel recently, so we hope that in the upcoming months an embassy will be opened. However, opening of the diplomatic mission is not the end of the process; on the contrary it is an opportunity to deepen the relations.

Until today our relations have been based on three pillars:

1) strategic cooperation in the sphere of security

2) energy, as Israel is one of the major buyers of Azerbaijani oil

3) historic friendship between Jews and Azerbaijanis, which is maintained to this day.

As a whole, the Embassy will expand cooperation in the areas of science, education and tourism.

The new head of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Eli Cohen has been appointed Co-Chair of the Bilateral Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation with Azerbaijan and will work jointly with Minister Mikayil Jabbarov on a strategy to strengthen our ties.

In 2022, we invited 50 Azerbaijani specialists for a one-year training course at Arava Institute, which is a leading institute in Israel in the theory and practice of modern agricultural methods. This year, we are planning to send the same number of specialists for training.

In 2022, more than 50.000 tourists from Israel visited Azerbaijan, which is a record. Also, the opening of the Embassy will contribute to raising the number of tourists from Azerbaijan to Israel and opening additional direct flights. According to my information, AZAL intends to open eight direct flights to Israel this year. Israeli companies also plan to have direct flights to Baku.

Another sphere is a scientific exchange. For the first time, this year Azerbaijani citizens get opportunity to study in doctoral (PHD) and master courses in Israel. The tuition fee is paid by the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan.

A number of our universities have expressed willingness to host students from Azerbaijan. I can inform you that Israeli Institute of Technology, one of the world's leading centres of technology and applied research, is preparing to open its branch in Baku this year. In the near future, a major Israeli company plans to sign a contract to build a desalination plant in Azerbaijan in cooperation with Japanese investors.  

We are also preparing projects in agriculture, high technology, water management and land reclamation.

Question: Do you expect Azeri experts and companies to participate in the exploration and development of offshore gas fields in the Israeli sector of the Mediterranean Sea?

Answer: Yes, currently Israel is developing large gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea, but unfortunately, Azerbaijani specialists have not been involved in this yet. However, we do invite SOCAR and your specialists to participate in these projects. In this aspect we have something to learn from Azerbaijan, such as how to transport gas to the world markets. We are planning to supply gas to Europe and we have to decide how to do it - as liquefied gas or build pipelines to Egypt, via Cyprus and further to Greece, Italy or Turkey, and to connect to TANAP.

Question: Why do you think the Iranian Ambassador reacts so jealously to your tweets about Azerbaijan, especially Southern Azerbaijan?

Answer: I do my job, others do theirs. I use social networks, they help me very much to keep in touch with Azeris, and I am very happy about it. This is natural that some people like it and some people do not.

Question: Israel is one of the major arms suppliers to the Azerbaijani army. Are there plans on joint projects in the sphere of military-industrial complex, any new contracts on arms supply?

Answer: As I said, we do not comment on military cooperation and the security sphere. We prefer to mind our own things.

Question: Do Israeli companies intend to participate in the restoration projects on the liberated territories?

Answer: I have been to nearly all the liberated territories, and it will take a long time to recover. These territories occupy half of Israel. Azerbaijan is very ambitious in its plans to reconstruct and return the civilians there. Israel is ready to help, and now we are involved in building a smart village Agali in Zangelan. There are also agricultural projects in Agdam as well as renewable energy and water resource management projects.  In Karabakh there is a lot of water and it is very essential to use it rationally. This is particularly noticeable in Kelbajar where there is a river and springs flowing around every corner. We are now in consultation with the authorities on these issues, as well as on the demining of the liberated territories.

Question: Israeli medicine is world famous. Is the opening of Israeli clinics in Azerbaijan expected?

Answer: I have good news. Israeli "Biopharmax" pharmaceutical company has signed an agreement with "Alyat Free Trade Zone" to build a pharmaceutical enterprise. They intend to produce various medicines, such as insulin for diabetics, medicines for cancer patients and many others. This is a big step in medical cooperation.

Over the last two years, a lot of Israeli doctors have visited Azerbaijan and expressed interest in cooperation, and we have certain plans. In particular, the reform of healthcare system in Azerbaijan is at stake. Healthcare is not only about doctors, but it is a system of registration and control over treatment, supply of medicine, consultation. The Israeli system is fully computerized, provides equal access to all, there is no corruption, and false diagnoses are excluded.

The quality of doctors and equipment also plays its role. I hope our talks and consultations in this and other spheres will yield concrete results. -02И-

17.01.23