The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tel Aviv held the first-ever official event dedicated to the Republic’s Independence Day. High-ranking politicians, diplomats, scientists, businessmen, journalists, as well as public and state figures of Israel and Azerbaijan took part in the solemn ceremony. Among them are Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Fariz Rzayev, head of the inter-parliamentary group between the two countries MK Vladimir Beliak, head of the Israeli Our Home Israel party Avigdor Lieberman and Israeli Defense Ministry General Director Eyal Zamir.
Among the guests of the event was also the Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), Dr. Haim Ben Yaakov. During the conversation with the heads of the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission, the parties agreed on an official meeting of the Ambassador with the Congress leaders in order to discuss in detail bilateral relations between Jerusalem and Baku, as well as issues related to the Jewish community of Azerbaijan.
Opening the event, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Israel Mukhtar Mammadov spoke about the history of the independent state and pointed to the “strategic level” of cooperation between Jerusalem and Baku, achieved in recent years.
Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel called the key to close relations between the two countries “mutual respect and trust.” She recalled her meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and stressed that the leaders of the two states “are working together to ensure peace and stability in the region and throughout the world.” According to her, the Jewish community living in Azerbaijan plays a special role in the development of relations between the two countries.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Fariz Rzayev noted that 2023 marks the 105th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the 100th anniversary of the national leader Heydar Aliyev. He also congratulated the guests of the event on the 75th anniversary of Israel’s independence, celebrated in April 2023. The Deputy Minister stressed that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel in various fields continues and pointed to the “great potential” for its further development.
The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tel Aviv officially opened in March 2023. The Azerbaijani diplomatic mission has become for Israel the first official representation of the state, the majority of whose population professes the Shiite branch of Islam.
“All the years of its existence, Azerbaijan has invariably proved its status as an authoritative, tolerant, multicultural, and multi-confessional state. The combination of traditions and historical heritage, on the one hand, and openness to the values of the modern world, on the other hand, allows it not only to pursue a balanced domestic policy but also strengthen external ties. At the beginning of last year, Azerbaijan became one of the few Muslim countries where International Holocaust Remembrance Day was declared as an officially marked date. Today we see another step towards the Jewish people and the State of Israel – the opening of an embassy in Tel Aviv. I am convinced that this gesture will become yet another milestone in joint cooperation between our states in the field of culture, science and economy,” noted EAJC President Dr. Michael Mirilashvili.
