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.