Sephardic Rabbi of Baku debunks anti-Azerbaijani propaganda in US

In a recent article, AIA Global describes that in a move against rising misinformation, Sephardic Rabbi of Baku, Zamir Isayev is speaking out to dismantle the growing wave of anti-Azerbaijani propaganda in the US, Caliber.Az reprints the article. 

With a firm commitment to truth, he challenges false narratives, offering a clearer perspective on Azerbaijan's role in the global landscape. 

Last week, Isayev visited the US at the invitation of Jewish communities. The reason for the invitation was growing interest in Azerbaijan, driven by discussions about its potential accession to the Abraham Accords and the mediation efforts of President Aliyev, who seeks to prevent a confrontation between Israel and Türkiye in Syria.

Rabbi Isayev held about ten meetings with leaders of Jewish communities and organisations, who were interested both in the topic of Azerbaijani-Israeli partnership and in the history of nearly 1000 years of peaceful Jewish life in the country. Rabbi Isayev brought and presented Azerbaijani textbooks that include the modern Western definition of antisemitism, provide an accurate account of the Holocaust, and emphasise that Israel is a progressive country striving for peace. Azerbaijan is the first Muslim country in the world to have textbooks without any antisemitic references or slurs. 

The rabbi said that based on his conversations, negative perceptions of Azerbaijan in various American circles stem from a complete lack of knowledge about the region, unawareness of the alliance between Baku and Jerusalem, and hostile propaganda, which clearly has foreign sources. A number of Jewish leaders expressed a desire to assist in outreach efforts and plan to contact pro-Israel congressmen and senators who, for some reason, hold anti-Azerbaijani positions, asking them to review their stand. 

Among the prominent Jewish figures Rabbi Isayev met with were businessman Leon Goldenberg, President of NORPAC Stanley Stern, Chair of the Board of the Jewish Community Relations Council in New York Cheryl Fishbein, Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Malcolm Hoenlein, and CEO of the American Sephardi Federation Jason Guberman. Several Jewish leaders also plan to appeal to the Trump administration and Congress with a request to repeal Section 907 of the United States Freedom Support Act, which prohibits any form of direct US aid to the Azerbaijani government.

By Naila Huseynova