Azerbaijani veteran soldier's path to recovery to be documented in movie How an organ donation contributed to bond between Azerbaijan, Israel

A movie is being filmed on the life of an Azerbaijani military serviceman after his participation in the Second Karabakh War, who received treatment from an Israeli doctor for his sustained wounds.

Arif Hajiyev returned from the 44-day-lasting Patriotic War with an eye injury for which he underwent a difficult surgery during which he was implanted a donor cornea. Hajiyev has now traveled to Israel in order to meet and thank his cornea donor’s family and reconnect with doctor Yishay Falick, who successfully operated on Arif’s damaged eye.

Nurit Greenger traveled to Azerbaijan in 2022 in her role as a journalist and met with several war veterans, including Hajiyev. He expressed his gratitude to Israel and his donor’s family and voiced his wish of thanking them personally. Wanting to help Hajiyev make his wish come true, Greenger started to organize this journey upon returning to her home in the US, as she personally documented in an article written for News Blaze.

She received help from the General Director of the Double Trouble Production company, Eti El-Kiss. She is also a film producer and is accompanying Hajiyev to document this exceptional journey.

Arif also met with Mr. Moshe Fadlon, the Mayor of the City of Herzliya, where Artif’s cornea donor’s family resides.

At the Mayor’s office, Hajiyev received the key to the city of Herzliya. This is an honorary decoration that simulates the city key given by the mayor and which was given only to the President of Israel.

During his journey, he was also invited to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, where he briefly met several ministers in the halls of the building.

The Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan George Deek, the Azerbaijani Committee for Diaspora Affairs, Azerbaijan Airlines and various Jewish organizations from the US have contributed to the realization of this journey.
Doctor Falick has re-examined Hajiyev’s eye and thanked President Aliyev and First Vice-President Aliyeva for the attention they pay to veteran soldiers. He also noted the YASHAT Fund’s important role in providing treatment to injured soldiers.

The film on Hajiyev’s experiences and journey to Israel is scheduled to be released in April 2023.

Caliber.Az recalls, that the Azerbaijani-American Cultural Foundation was established in 2022 to promote cultural and media ties between the two countries.