WANA (Oct 29) – Following the recent genocide in Gaza, Azerbaijan’s close ties with Israel—highlighted by plans to host the annual European Jewish Rabbis Conference in Baku—have drawn widespread criticism from Muslim nations and intellectuals across the region.
The Jerusalem Post has claimed that threats allegedly issued by Iran against the Azerbaijani government led to the cancellation of the European Jewish Rabbis’ Conference, which was scheduled to take place in Baku from November 3 to 6.
The organizers have not officially stated the reason for the cancellation, but expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani government for its continued support.
In a statement announcing the postponement, the conference organizers said: “The Conference of European Rabbis deeply regrets to announce that its convention in Baku, scheduled for next week, has been postponed due to circumstances beyond our control… We would like to thank the government of Azerbaijan for its ongoing support and apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, a prominent leader of anti-Zionist Jews, met and held talks with Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran / WANA News Agency
The Jerusalem Post further claimed that, according to media reports, Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency decided to cancel the event due to security threats attributed to Iran.
Following the cancellation, organizers are reportedly working to ensure ticket refunds for the many Jewish community leaders who had planned to attend.
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, told The Jerusalem Post that efforts are underway to relocate the event, possibly to Israel. Two Israeli ministers—Amichai Chikli and Amichai Eliyahu—are said to be assisting in the process. “We will hold the convention one way or another,” Goldschmidt said.
According to promotional materials, the conference was set to discuss issues such as freedom of religion, antisemitism in Europe, and the Abraham Accords.
Anti-Zionist Jewish Protests in the United States, Social Media / WANA News Agency
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to The Jerusalem Post’s request for comment regarding Iran’s alleged threats.
The decision to hold such a conference in a Muslim-majority country—particularly a Shiite one—had already sparked significant backlash across the Muslim world, especially in Turkey.
Azerbaijan maintains close relations with Turkey, whose government has been a vocal supporter of Hamas and the resistance in Gaza, sharply criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the past two years.
Critics have described the planned conference in Baku, coming in the aftermath of Israel’s actions in Gaza, as an insult to Muslims.
In the wake of the recent genocide in Gaza, Azerbaijan’s warm relations with Israel continue to face condemnation from a broad spectrum of Muslim nations and intellectuals in the region.
Protesters rally across Australian cities to demand an end to the Gaza genocide. Social media/ WANA News Agency