My heart has been pounding with ache for the stress and worry my Jewish brothers and sisters have endured – from New York City to London, Tel Aviv and Los Angeles – a place I have visited several times for programs hosted by synagogues such as Nessah Synagogue and Sinai Temple, or organizations such as AJC and Simon Wiesenthal Center, and so many others, which have honored me and other survivors of the Khojaly Massacre. As a friend to many Jewish communities, particularly in Los Angeles, I am profoundly offended and disturbed by the recent attacks on Jews on the streets of Los Angeles, by literal gangs of antisemites, as if this were taking place in another time and another place.
I am aware of the great pressures and threats Israel and the Jewish people face, throughout all of time and alarmingly, today. In contrast to many other places in our region and beyond, the Jewish experience in Azerbaijan has been nothing but positive, whether relating to our Mountain Jewish population that has resided securely in Azerbaijan for over 2,000 years, representing today a significant component of our approximately 30,000 Jewish citizens; or our history of standing out as a safe haven to Jews fleeing the worst of Europe’s atrocities – the pogroms and the Holocaust, with Azerbaijan proudly harboring over 10,000 Jews that had escaped Hitler’s certain death. Over 400,000 Azerbaijani men and women gave their lives fighting against the Nazis, and this is something every Azerbaijani grade school student learns, with immense pride. In 2016, Azerbaijan was the only Muslim nation in the world to host the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s renowned exhibition “People, Book, Land: The 3,500 Year Relationship of the Jewish People with The Holy Land”. Our nation may be unique in our support for Israel and Jewish people, but we have always stood out as a beacon against prejudice, and basic history and simple values have made the equation simple for our nation and our culture. And of course, we have an active Jewish community here, with Jewish men and women holding positions in Parliament, in our judicial system and across government, industry, academia, culture and other spheres as important and cherished as any other citizen of Azerbaijan.
So I am further disturbed by the social media waves that have flooded the world with hatred and lies about Israel and the Jewish people, a trope I am familiar with because unfortunately, it exists in our part of the world too. As a 95% majority-Muslim nation with unbreakable ties to Israel, an alliance that exceedinly grows and flourishes, we face particular challenges and prejudices in a region shared by Armenia, Iran and Russia. During Armenia’s 30-year-long, internationally condemned occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory, Israel has stood by us with unparalleled support and resources, and Armenia has seized that as an opportunity to revisit their long-lasting obsession with antisemitism. Months prior to the recent attacks by Hamas, Armenian lobby was already protesting outside the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles, chanting antisemitic slogans, while Armenia’s Prime Minister publicly declared Israel “joined forces with the devil”. Rewind about 80 years and the same radical Armenian groups in the United States were publicly praising Hitler and Holocaust, due to their own historical obsession with racial purity and Nazi-like ideology. Just a few years ago, an obscenely large statue was erected in the center of Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan. The statue is of General Garegin Nzhdeh, who is considered Armenia’s national hero. He was also a Nazi collaborator and let the infamous Armenian Legion of Wehrmacht. A Holocaust memorial in Yerevan was repeatedly vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. And today, among others, Armenian American groups are at the helm of the anti-Israeli protests in Los Angeles and other major US cities.
But despite the loud voices and social media rhetoric, the friends Israel and the Jewish people had before this new crisis are with you today more than ever before, and our solidarity is based not only on our correct understanding of history and of the weighty role antisemitism plays, but also in the transcendence of the values we share in common, of loving and celebrating life, and building and repairing toward a world of peace. In my heart I cannot believe that we will not overcome this madness, even if it seems insurmountable at times, even if it looks to be everywhere. Certainly here in our small corner of the world, your community is in our hearts, and in our mosques, synagogues and churches, where we pray for your protection and perseverance.
Those of us in the world that are fully committed to life, progress and peace must stay close in these trying times, and I only wish I could reach across the world from my home in Baku to my dear friends across Los Angeles and beyond, to share my sorrow at what is happening and to offer whatever strength and support possible. Because you are not alone; like many others in the world, I and countless others throughout Azerbaijan are watching, praying and will continue to stand up and fight for the values we have shared together over centuries and most importantly, today. For now, I send my hope and prayers for your safety and strength, from my heart in Baku to the Jewish people of Los Angeles, and the world.