I love my profession for many reasons, including the fact that I have the opportunity to ask people’s opinion. What’s more interesting is when you hear something new. Well, in interviews with Armenian politicians, frankly speaking, this is a rarity, the same can be said about Facebook and website commenters, the number of authors of which, unfortunately, is limited. (Not to mention the taxi drivers when you know in advance what they will say, or rather, what they will complain about). If we talk about Armenians, it is interesting to talk to doctors, actors, musicians, engineers, programmers and other professionals, as well as to non-politicized lawyers and economists, to all those people who present their problems, secrets, achievements in their field in a clear language to me and to TV viewers.
And when it comes to talking with foreigners, to listen to their opinion about issues in Armenia and regional issues, it is always interesting, because it helps to broaden your horizons. It turned out that last week I had two guests from Israel, former Knesset deputy Alexander Tsinker and politician Avigdor Eskin, at “Shant TV” program “Perspective”. Being very different, they, of course, spoke about Armenia and Artsakh with friendly accents. But it is not the only thing uniting them. I would like to highlight a few points that are related to relations with Armenia, and Armenians. 1. They consider insulting when some of our compatriots insist that the Armenian Genocide was organized by Jews, 2. they consider our scolding “Why is Israel selling weapons to Azerbaijan?” unjustified, reminding that the same is doing our “ally” Russia, in much greater volume, 3. they consider normal that we have close, friendly relations with their enemy Iran, and do not think it’s an insurmountable obstacle for the Armenian-Israeli relations, 4. according to them, the greatest achievement of Israel is the fact that the state has managed to organize the repatriation of Jews and to create national integration mechanisms.
Here are some brief opinions and information I have received from my guests, and I convey to you that you too, dear readers, can analyse, and perhaps discuss it without prejudice or preconceived opinions. Various opinions are being talked and written about these persons, but in this case I am interested not in their political journey, but the messages that we hear from a country less known to us, a country whose achievements are considered exemplary. I think it is possible and necessary to develop relations with Israel. What do you think?
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
