While searching the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) website, there appears no English or Hebrew statement, that I could find, regarding Israel’s position on the recent fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Indeed, it is not a requirement for MFAs to make statements on all world affairs. Nearly always MFAs when issuing statements on upsurges in fighting or conflicts tend to condemn violence and urge all sides to stay restrained. Sometimes saying nothing is better than living with the alternative.
Israel Hayom, purported to be Israel’s most widely-read newspaper, ran a piece entitled, “Israel must support Azerbaijan, especially now,” claiming Azerbaijan, is “more than just an ally.” Even though this article is an opinion piece, why would Sheldon Adelson’s Israel Hayom feel the need to publish an article supporting Azerbaijan’s efforts in a border skirmish with Armenia?
Adelson doesn’t appear on the surface to have any specific interest in Azerbaijan, but his newspaper has published many pro-Azerbaijan/anti-Armenian articles. What could “especially now” infer? We don’t know for sure, and further intriguing is the claim that Azerbaijan is more than an ally of Israel. Adelson’s Israel Hayom claims Azerbaijan supplies about half of Israel’s crude oil supply. It’s not as if Israel can’t purchase oil on the world market without Azerbaijan. I point to the US as a net exporter of oil.
The article’s author, Rachel Avraham, a political analyst, claims, “According to unverified reports in the foreign media, Azerbaijan helped Israel in its operation to smuggle the nuclear archive from Iran.” Perhaps this explains Adelson’s penchant for supporting Azerbaijan. Adelson also reportedly urged US President Trump to nuke Iran. One wonders what other role has Azerbaijan had in Iran, especially over the past couple of months. This entire Azerbaijani-Iranian dynamic is interesting, in light of this covert intrigue. The 2019 bilateral trade numbers between Iran and Azerbaijan are north of half a billion dollars, with about 1,400 Iranian entities working in Azerbaijan. Azernews reported that “The trade turnover between the two countries is planned to reach $2 billion in short term perspective.”
Just a few days ago, the anti-Semite Islamist President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, in a major address reiterated Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan within the context of a veiled threat to complete what their ancestors began, “this time in the Caucasus.” Erdogan was alluding to the Turkish genocide of the Armenians. Ironically, Turkey denies this genocide, but in times of opportunity, it remembers!
We have the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense threatening to blow up Armenia’s nuclear power station following a series of military defeats and loss of territory to the Armenians.
We have Turkey, Israel’s old best Muslim friend, threatening to finish their genocide of the Armenians.
We have Sheldon Adelson unconditionally supporting Azerbaijan, Israel’s newest Muslim friend.
Is there no measure of responsibility when somebody as influential as Adelson declares unconditional support for whatever state? There would be an international outcry if an enemy of Israel threatened to blow up the Dimona nuclear facility.
While Adelson’s publication didn’t say it supported the threat to detonate the Armenian nuclear plant, his publication blindly supported the state that did!
Yerevan, Armenia
