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Armenian-Israelis protest arms sales to Azerbaijan

Israel has kept a low profile on its military dealings with Azerbaijan, but Armenian-Israeli activists have taken the issue to the streets.
Members of the Armenian community in Israel hold banners in the coastal city of Tel Aviv on November 6, 2020, as they protest against Israel's arms sales to Azerbaijan and Turkey's support to the latter. - Israeli media say that Israel's Elbit Systems has sold Azerbaijan armed drones, which have shifted the military balance in the decades-old dispute in Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia in October recalled its ambassador from Israel in protest at its weapons sales to Baku. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK G

Dozens of Armenians demonstrated at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv against Israeli arms sales to Azerbaijan Nov. 6. The protesters carried signs reading "Stop Azerbaijani and Turkish aggression now," "Double standards" and "Armenia fights against terrorism." Some people sang traditional Armenian songs. Several carried signs featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and reading, "Don’t let history repeat itself."

Protesters who arrived to the square explained that they demand Israel stop its arms sale to Azerbaijan and that Israeli authorities condemn what they consider Turkish-Azeri aggression, especially Turkish transfer of Syrian jihadists to fight on the Azeri side. They ask Israel to recognize the self-declared Republic of Artsakh, saying it is the only way to end the bloody Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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