Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 14
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
Nobody will destroy what Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has built, head of the Israel-Azerbaijan International Association AzIz Lev Spivak told Trend on Nov. 14.
He was commenting on the resignation of the Israeli defense minister because of disagreement with the decision on a ceasefire regime in the Gaza Strip.
Spivak said that Lieberman’s resignation in the current situation was absolutely expected.
“Just imagine that 400 rockets suddenly fall on you in two days from the neighboring country to which you have recently donated $15 million in cash, and in response you received such a “gift”,” he said.
“As far as I know Lieberman’s position as a politician, as a person, and, not to mention his position as minister of defense, he had no other options than resignation after the authorities announced the truce with the Palestinian militants,” Spivak said.
He added that it would be difficult to replace Lieberman because not every politician, and even a professional military man, would agree to take the post of defense minister in the current circumstances.
Spivak stressed that no matter who will be appointed Israeli defense minister, Lieberman’s resignation will not lead to changes in military-technical cooperation with Azerbaijan or the rejection of any contracts.
"Everyone understands the importance of this cooperation,” he said. “Over the past years, Lieberman managed to bring the importance of ties with Azerbaijan to almost all Knesset members’ attention. Nobody will destroy what Lieberman has built because everyone understands that this is good and right."
The armistice agreement between Israel and Palestine was concluded on Nov. 13 after severe aggravation of the conflict since 2014.
“In response, Lieberman announced about his resignation and called the truce and the beginning of negotiations with HAMAS ‘capitulation to terror’,” he added.
"Lieberman added that ‘now, as a country, we are buying short-term rest, and long-term harm to national security will be the payment for this’," Spivak said.
In turn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he agreed to HAMAS proposal for ceasefire as it is necessary to make "difficult but correct decisions".
Netanyahu said that "the enemies begged for ceasefire," BBC Russian Service reported.
On Nov. 12-13, the Palestinians fired 460 missiles at Israel, the Israeli military attacked and hit 160 targets in the Gaza Strip. As a result of mutual shelling, eight people were killed.
----
Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov