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During the wars between Israel and the Arab countries [see Yom Kippur War] [24], of course, we were on Israel’s side. However, Bulgaria was on the side of the Arabs. It was a curious fact that in 1973 when Egypt attacked Israel the newspaper here wrote that it was vice versa: that Israel attacked Egypt. Things were interpreted in that way.
I didn’t openly express that I was on Israel’s side during the wars, but it was natural for me to be on Israel’s side. Politics at that time was a completely different thing. Bulgaria had strong contacts with the Arab countries at that time. It supported the Arab cause, because it maintained close economic relations with Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and other countries and it was natural for it to support their interests. At some point Bulgaria’s position was overdone. There were such writings that Israel was an artificially created country and that it shouldn’t exist. The communists also supported that thesis because it was the political line followed by the Soviet Union also.
I can say that I felt a certain change of attitude towards me during the wars in Israel. It was because of the people’s general disposition at that time: they used to consider Israel the greatest aggressor. Israel was a synonym of aggression. The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs [Andrey] Gromyko [1909-1989] announced that an Arab-Palestinian state must be founded and it was immediately accepted by Bulgaria.
I didn’t openly express that I was on Israel’s side during the wars, but it was natural for me to be on Israel’s side. Politics at that time was a completely different thing. Bulgaria had strong contacts with the Arab countries at that time. It supported the Arab cause, because it maintained close economic relations with Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and other countries and it was natural for it to support their interests. At some point Bulgaria’s position was overdone. There were such writings that Israel was an artificially created country and that it shouldn’t exist. The communists also supported that thesis because it was the political line followed by the Soviet Union also.
I can say that I felt a certain change of attitude towards me during the wars in Israel. It was because of the people’s general disposition at that time: they used to consider Israel the greatest aggressor. Israel was a synonym of aggression. The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs [Andrey] Gromyko [1909-1989] announced that an Arab-Palestinian state must be founded and it was immediately accepted by Bulgaria.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Yosif Avram Levi