On September 15, 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed the Abraham Accords in a formal ceremony on the White House lawn, establishing official ties with Israel. Morocco and Sudan later joined the accords, although Sudan's recent civil war has disrupted the normalization process, and the agreement has yet to be implemented.

Witkoff's remarks in Florida add to growing speculation about expanding the circle of countries entering formal relations with Israel under the framework initiated during the Trump administration.

Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia and the ninth-largest in the world, spanning roughly 2.7 million square kilometers. It is also the largest landlocked nation. Around 70% of its population are Sunni Muslims, with a significant Christian Orthodox minority making up about 26%. Kazakhstan gained independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. For 28 years, it was led by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was succeeded in 2019 by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Nevertheless, Nazarbayev retained considerable influence under the title "Leader of the Nation."

Kazakhstan is a presidential republic, though political opposition operates under heavy restrictions. The country is rich in natural resources, including oil—accounting for approximately 3% of the world's reserves—natural gas, and minerals, making it an important economic player in the region. Its capital is Astana, while the largest city is Almaty.

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Syria's sports federation has complained to basketball's world governing body after Kazakhstan welcomed its team with the Iranian national anthem on Saturday, instead of the Syrian, to the game at the first leg of Asian qualifiers for World Cup 2023.

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Syrian players appeared perplexed when the song was played by the Kazakh hosts at the start of the game on Saturday in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan. Still, they clapped after the anthem was finished.

After a huddle and before the game started, the Syrians sang their own national anthem on the court. The technical team cheered them on.

Syria lost to the Kazakh team 84-74. Another match is scheduled for the home crowd on Monday in Damascus, Syria. Syria and Kazakhstan play in the same group with Iran and Bahrain.

Firas Moualla, the head of the Syrian General Sports Federation, was quoted in pro-government Al-Watan newspaper saying he has complained to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The Syrian Federation also complained to the Kazakh foreign ministry, he said.

So, the Syrian basketball team in Kazakhstan was expecting Syrian national anthem to play! Instead it was the Iranian national anthem

Syrians, get used to it, you're an Iranian colony now, just like Lebanon next door ! The look on team's faces was priceless#Syria pic.twitter.com/65hflhyZWt

— Aimen Dean (@AimenDean) November 28, 2021

The head of Syria's Basketball Federation Tarif Qutrash blamed the Kazakh and Asian Federations for the mistake, saying the Kazakh team will be fined.

The Asian qualifiers run from November to February 2023, with each national team playing home and away games in each tournament.

The next World Cup – to be hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia – takes place from Aug. 25 through Sept. 10, 2023.

Ironically, a national anthem mishap had previously affected Kazakhstan's national shooting team. In 2012, a fictional national anthem from the comedy film Borat was played, instead of the real one, at a medal ceremony at championships in Kuwait.

The team asked organizers for an apology. The ceremony for the Kazakh gold medalist was later rerun.

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Tokayev, 66, who took office in March, is the handpicked successor of Nursultan Nazarbayev, who led the country for nearly 30 years.

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"Israel is an important partner of Kazakhstan in the Middle East, and we are working to enhance the close bilateral ties, especially in such matters as commerce, innovation, education, and public diplomacy," Wexelman told Jewish News Syndicate.

Asked about the situation for the Jewish community in the Muslim-majority country in light of ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the ambassador responded that "the Jewish community and the limited number of Israelis residing in Kazakhstan are enjoying a safe life."

She said government authorities and the Jewish community have warm ties going back in history to when waves of Jews were evacuated to the country.

"The political tensions in the Middle East are not reflected in any way on these positive ties," added the Israeli ambassador.

Over the last year, said Wexelman, the Israeli Embassy in Kazakhstan has concentrated efforts on economic development. "We are certain that upgrading economic relations will provide a genuine boost to political relations accordingly."

"Taking into account that Israel is considered the startup nation and has many cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technologies in fields that are top priority for the government of Kazakhstan, we succeeded in forging some durable partnerships," she continued.

The fields of cooperation include agro-tech, drip irrigation, clean water, cybersecurity and more.

The Israeli Embassy has organized or participated in various events on these topics, helping to bring Israeli experts and businesses to the country, where an estimated several thousand Jews live.

'Protecting minority rights'

Chief Rabbi Yeshaya E. Cohen told JNS in an interview that it is good to compare the past and the present to get an idea of the context of Jews in the central Asian country.

"Jewish refugees came to Kazakhstan usually not out of choice but necessity, and the country received them well," said Cohen. "Kazakhstan has a long tradition of tolerance, and the Jews have had a comfortable situation in the country until the present day."

He related an incident that occurred around 1994, when a newspaper in the country printed an anti-Semitic article. The result was that a Kazakh court shut down the paper.

Asked about Tokayev, Cohen replied that he has known him for about 20 years.

He said the Jewish community has not felt a change with the arrival of the new president, who has continued "the tolerant policy of Nazarbayev by also protecting minority rights and those of the 30,000-strong Jewish community in a country of more than 18 million."

"I know him personally, and he is honest; the country is lucky to have such a good leader," continued the chief rabbi. "He also loves Israel."

Regarding Kazakhstan as a model of a Muslim country with a history of strong connections with Israel, Wexelman noted that the practice of Islam within the central Asian nation is known as being moderate and inclusive.

"For the State of Israel, it is very important to engage in a constructive and open dialogue with Muslim leaders in order to promote mutual understanding and common values of tolerance," she noted.

Just last month, a delegation from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel participated in the interfaith dialogue in Kazakhstan attended by representatives of the main religions: Muslims, Christians, Hindu, and Baha'i.

As Wexelman reported, "Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lau and Rabbi Yitzchok Lorincz were received with great honor, and the Israeli embassy is active in promoting close ties with Muslim leaders in the country."

During the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, ambassador Wexelman hosted an Iftar dinner for top Muslim leaders and donated 75 kilograms (160 pounds) of dates to the Hazrat Sultan Mosque in Nur-Sultan.

'Supporting ethnic groups in the country'

Mark B. Levin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry, affirmed to JNS that the Jewish community is well-integrated into Kazakhstan's society, and that there is a positive relationship between the government and Cohen, the country's chief rabbi.

"You don't find overt or government-sanctioned anti-Semitism in the country," said Levin, who has been there twice over the past few years. "I took a group there, and no one thought twice about wearing a kipah. This is not the case now in much of Europe, such as in Germany, France or England."

Alexander Baron, the head of the Association of Jewish National Organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Mitsva), an affiliate of the World Jewish Congress, said in a statement sent to JNS that he concurred with the Israeli ambassador that Tokayev is continuing the legacy of Nazarbayev and "supporting ethnic groups in the country."

Baron noted that more than 100 different ethnic groups reside in the country, and that the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, a national advisory body of delegates, includes leaders from the wide range of communities.

During these meetings, he said, alluding to the Jewish community, "we freely speak on topics of interest to us."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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The presidential elections were organized within weeks of Nazarbayev's decision to step down, which was announced in March. This expediency sought to preserve continuity and prevent political chaos that could destabilize the state, as similar transitions did to its neighbors.

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Despite the conservative nature of Kazakh politics, which draw from a very centralized government, the elections boasted budding political pluralism: seven people vied for the presidency, including four opposition members; in a first for the country, the list of candidate included a woman – something that cannot be taken lightly in a Muslim society that, while demonstrably secular, is still very conservative; and Tokayev won only 71% of the votes. His predecessor, who last ran for president in 2015 against only two candidates, received about 98% of the votes.

Astana officials talk about "a gradual, peaceful" transition of power and members of the opposition, diplomats, and Western observers seem understanding of the need to maintain stability in the world's ninth-largest country, which is flanked by superpowers – China and Russia – that covet its many natural resources.

An orderly transition of power is doubly important given that various fundamental Islamic elements continuously push to radicalize the Muslim majority in Kazakhstan; efforts that have proven successful in neighboring Kyrgyzstan. The Kazakh administration, however, is determined not to allow religious radicalization.

These circumstances have made the presidential elections highly sensitive. The campaign and election day saw hundreds of opposition activists demonstrating near polling stations arrested by the country's security forces, prompting the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to issue a report lamenting the "missed opportunity to install political reforms."

Tokayev understands the winds of change well. He was the first Kazakh politician to use Twitter, sometimes in less than a diplomatic manner. At the first press conference he held after his victory, he made amusing remarks that made the press burst out in laughter – very unusual behavior considering the formal nature of the event.

The fact that President chose to give his first interview with a foreign news outlet to an Israeli newspaper attests to the great importance he lends to his country's ties with Israel – tied he said he plans to develop further as part of his desire to bolster Kazakhstan's standing in the international community.

Tokayev, who served as director general of the United Nations in Geneva and speaks Russian, Chinese, English, and French, said he would also seek to reinforce ties with the country's regional neighbors. "We have a lot to do. I said immediately after my election that with regard to foreign policy, we would prioritize cooperation with our neighbors – Russia and China, of course, and other Central Asian countries. Kazakhstan is open to a policy of cooperation with foreign countries, and this policy will continue."

Q: Now that you have been elected president of Kazakhstan, what do you see as your main goals and priorities for the coming years? 

"I think that I have to solve a lot of problems relating to the social sphere first of all, because people are anticipating the solution of problems that concern them, especially those that relate to the standing of each country.

"Kazakhstan is a rich country, we have a lot of resources here and of course, our capital Astana [Nir-Sultan] is one of the leading countries in the post-Soviet Union era. Kazakhstan is number two after Russia. At the same time, we need to be more attentive to the socio-economic concerns of our people."

Q: How would you describe the role of Kazakhstan in a regional and international context?

"Kazakhstan has been recognized as a leader of Central Asia, so my task is to sustain this role. We want to increase Kazakhstan's leading role in this region, as well as beyond. I think that we have a lot of things to do, and are very positive toward cooperation with our immediate neighbors here in the region."

Q: There are mounting disagreements between the United States and China, and between Russia and the EU. What are the implications for Central Asia?

"Kazakhstan is a very important actor in the foreign policy arena and of course, we are concerned about the confrontation between major actors like the United States and China as well as Russia, because our economy is subjected to the trade wars. We have an open economy and, of course, we feel some negative effects of the trade wars that unfortunately do occur between those countries."

Q: How do you see the future of relations between Kazakhstan and Israel? Will you be visiting Israel soon?

"Yes, of course I will visit Israel. I had the privilege to lead the delegation from Kazakhstan to Israel when it marked the 60^th anniversary of independence and establishment of the State of Israel. I was very impressed by what I had seen during the celebrations.

"I used to have a very close friendly relationship with late President Shimon Peres when he was foreign minister and later president, he received me one time in Jerusalem. I think that we have a very bright future.

"I will be doing my best to increase and facilitate the cooperation between our countries. A couple of years ago, I had a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he came here on his first visit, and he was really impressed with Kazakhstan. I had a nice talk with him about a number of issues that are on the agenda of our mutual cooperation. My assessment, my attitude to Israel is absolutely positive."

Q: In what fields would you like to see more cooperation between both countries?

"I think that we should have more cooperation in the area of technology. Israel is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of advanced technology and Kazakhstan, I think would be very delighted to enjoy some real products of the technological developments of Israel, so I believe that this kind of cooperation would be quite helpful. … Kazakhstan is very open to cooperation."

Q: You have been active in the United Nations, you probably are aware that Israel is not very happy with the UN's position toward it. Could good relations between Israel and Kazakhstan affect the Kazakh position on Israeli issues in UN institutions?

"We have close contacts between both delegations in the United Nations as well as in other international institutions. When I was foreign minister [from 1994-1999 and 2002-2007], I changed the voting position of Kazakhstan to be in favor of Israel. You know that there a lot of countries – including EU countries – which vote against Israel in the UN.

"Looking at the voting results and having consultations with some Jewish organizations in New York as well as with the Israeli government, I did not have any reason to be negative toward Israel. On four resolutions, our stance in the UN has been changed regarding Israel. I made the decision at the beginning of this century."

Q: Many Jews found refuge in Kazakhstan during World War II. Do you see a special relationship between your country and the Jewish people?

"Yes. First of all, I graduated from a school where there were so many Jewish teachers in Almaty. Many were children of those who were exiled at the time by [Soviet leader Joseph] Stalin to Kazakhstan. They were excellent and still there are many excellent teachers. Until now, I am very grateful for them. Until now, I still remember their names.

"In regard to other people who were sent to Kazakhstan [during the exile], I think we have great personal links with them too. In Kazakhstan, there was never any anti-Semitism, ever. I think it is a natural sentiment or feeling for Kazakhs to be absolutely tolerant to all nations and nationalities, including Jews. We like Jews here and we have synagogues. One of the richest men in Kazakhstan is [Jewish], Mr. [Alexander] Mashkevich and I know him quite well."

Q: The conflict in Syria concerns Israel very much. Do you see a future solution to the Syrian civil war?

"Kazakhstan has been involved in resolving the crisis in Syria. Astana, our capital, hosted the negotiations on Syria. They came out to be quite successful, in terms of giving additional input for solving the Syrian crisis. During the Geneva II Conference, along with the director-general of the UN, I was personally involved in this process and I'm proud that the meeting of foreign ministers in 2012 came out to be quite successful as well.

"The only document relating to the Syrian conflict was engineered here. Until now, we have no documents or resolutions in Syria, so Syria is a matter of concern to us. We will be cooperating with leaders from all over to bring peace to this country."

Q: Tensions with Iran are growing. You were very active in the non-proliferation area. What would you recommend to do in order to deescalate the situation?

"Iran is a good partner to Kazakhstan, first of all, in the economic area. We are neighbors, right across the Caspian Sea and I think that Iran has been influenced by international cooperation. At the same time, of course, Iran should become a good partner – a reliable partner to the international community.

"We are very concerned about the lack of understanding that exists with regards to Iran. Iran is a very important actor in the Middle East, but at the same time, Iran has been positive in its cooperation with its immediate neighbors in the Arab world, as well as with other countries. But, at the same time, I don't believe that Iran will take any steps toward [recognizing] Israel.

"I remember around 15 or 20 years ago, in a meeting with a foreign minister of Iran, he said that his country will never recognize Israel as a state. I said, okay, you might not recognize the moon or the sun, but they do exist. It's the same with Israel. Israel does exist and is an independent state. It is a very important actor and country – the only country which is a democracy in the Middle East – so you need to recognize Israel and have cooperation with it, as we do, for example."

Q: And what did he answer?

"He gave no answer," the president said, laughing.

Q: Kazakhstan has robust interfaith dialogue. We have seen religious tensions around the world, in Europe and in parts of Asia. What can be done in order to stop this violence?

"I think that the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana was very important in bringing up dialogue between a variety of religions and denominations. This will continue.

"We believe that these kinds of meetings are important and bring together people, [especially those who] represent religions and different denominations. Kazakhstan is making its own contribution to this very important cause. I think that this kind of cooperation and through these kinds of activities – Kazakhstan is [setting] a great example – we have so many types of religions and denominations. We have Orthodox churches, Catholic churches, mosques, etc."

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Tokayev, 66, is the hand-picked successor to longtime ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev.

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"I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of Kazakhstan, strictly follow the constitution and the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan, guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens, [and] conscientiously fulfill the high duties entrusted to me," Tokayev said as he took his presidential oath.

In his first interview with a foreign news outlet, Tokayev told Israel Hayom that while serving as foreign minister, he urged the Iranians to recognize the State of Israel and to foster relations with it.

Iran is a longtime partner of Kazakhstan, he stressed, adding that he believed the international community should stop ignoring Iran and instead strive to include it in the global family of nations.

Iran should become a reliable partner of the international community, he added, saying that Kazakhstan was "very concerned" about the lack of understanding or misperception of Iran by the international community.

"Iran is a very important player in the Middle East, but it must also be positive about cooperation with its neighbors, as well as with other countries, including Israel," he said.

Tokayev further recalled that when he met with the Iranian foreign minister 15 years ago, and the latter had told him that Tehran would never recognize Israel, he responded that that would be akin to "denying the existence of the sun and the moon. They exist, and so does Israel."

He lauded Israel as "an important state, the only democracy in the Middle East," and said he told his Iranian counterpart at the time that the Islamic republic must recognize Israel and foster collaborations with it, as Kazakhstan did.

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