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- Allied support: Jerusalem & Baku help each other in Washington & Ankara | Analysis
Allied support: Jerusalem & Baku help each other in Washington & Ankara | Analysis
Azerbaijan and Israel, who have been allies for 30 years, are exchanging favors and advocating for each other in Turkey and the US
US President Donald Trump’s victory marks the beginning of rapid diplomatic liaisons between Baku and Washington through different Jewish and Israeli channels. A day after Trump’s inauguration, the presidents of Israel and Azerbaijan met in Davos.
President Isaac Herzog arranged the meeting to discuss several issues with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, with whom he has long established friendly relations. According to the official summaries of the meeting, the sides discussed economic and trade collaboration, commending the work of the joint intergovernmental commission. The meeting took place before the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Netanyahu to Washington to meet with President Trump.
Last month, on December 11, the president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Michael Tuchin, and incoming president Bernie Kaminetsky visited Baku to meet with President Aliyev. They discussed the issue of strengthening relations between the US and Azerbaijan, the importance of which to Israel’s security was underestimated by Biden’s administration.
Two days later, Aliyev aide Hikmet Hajiyev arrived in Jerusalem to meet with President Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and other Israeli officials. After his return to Baku, Hajiyev reported to the Azerbaijani president and departed to Ankara. Turkish media claimed that he is playing a mediator role between Israel and Turkey regarding the situation in Syria.
Azerbaijan, being Israel’s and Turkey’s ally, has always worked to normalize Turkey-Israel relations and mediated during crises between them. It can be assumed with a high degree of probability that the January 21 statement of Nail Olpak, president of the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) – which dealt with Turkey's intention to resume trade with Israel if lasting peace is established in Gaza – was a result of the Azerbaijani effort.
Thus, it appears that Azerbaijan and Israel, who have been allies for 30 years, are exchanging favors and advocating for each other in Turkey and the US. According to the recent research paper of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Azerbaijan’s exceptional relationship with Israel serves as an example for other Muslim states. Moreover, Baku assisted in the efforts of President Trump in facilitating Israel’s relations with Gulf states and moderate Muslim countries. Meetings in Baku between Israelis and senior figures from the Arab world were taking place years before they became official in Israel. Immediately after the signing of the Abraham Accords, Baku became one of the first venues for establishing contacts between Israeli and UAE diplomats.