PNN – According to a Zionist media outlet, the criticism directed at the President of Azerbaijan stems from his ties to Israel.
The Hebrew-language news site Ynet reported on Saturday evening that the bulk of the criticism—and even the caricatures—leveled against the President of Azerbaijan centers on his alignment and cooperation with Israel; a trend that has intensified following the enactment of a law regarding the hijab.
According to this Zionist news outlet, an online campaign has emerged in the wake of the hijab law announced by the Baku government, portraying Ilham Aliyev as an enemy of Islam and a supporter of Israel. The Hebrew-language outlet further claimed that, according to assessments, parties from Turkey, Iran, and Russia are behind this campaign.
Last month, tensions rose within the Republic of Azerbaijan after the Baku government issued new regulations prohibiting students from attending school in attire that deviates from the official uniform or is incompatible with the secular nature of public education—deceptive terms used by the Baku government to justify its campaign against the hijab. Although the regulations issued by the Azerbaijani government did not explicitly mention the hijab, reports emerged following their implementation indicating that female students and teachers who wear the hijab were being barred from entering schools.
The law regarding the hijab is an internal matter for the Republic of Azerbaijan; however, in recent days, theories have emerged online suggesting that the close relationship between Azerbaijan and Israel is one of the factors that prompted Azerbaijani authorities to enact legislation on this issue.
As these theories have spread, caricatures have appeared online that employ anti-Israeli stereotypes—such as the depiction of a long nose—to mock the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. In these cartoons, Aliyev is portrayed as someone who carries out the orders of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and seeks to harm Islam.
In one of these cartoons, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan is depicted kneeling and bound by a rope held by Netanyahu.
Continuing its report, Ynet wrote that while Turkey is considered an important ally of the Republic of Azerbaijan, officials from the Justice and Development Party—led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—have criticized this law. Erdoğan’s own remarks at the United Nations General Assembly last month were also not well-received in Baku; during his address, he took aim at “those who restrict the wearing of the hijab in schools.” Although Erdoğan did not explicitly name any country implementing such measures, the Republic of Azerbaijan understood exactly what he meant.