Jewish bridge between US & Azerbaijan closes gaps ahead of Trump | Analysis
AIPAC's first visit to Azerbaijan indicates it has stepped in to act as a bridge between the incoming US administration and Baku, working on already warm ties between Israel and Azerbaijan
American Jewry is demonstrating a willingness to become a bridge between the new US administration and Azerbaijan, one of Israel’s key allies after the United States. On December 11, the President of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Michael Tuchin, and incoming president Bernie Kaminetsky visited Baku.
President Ilham Aliyev, known for his friendly relations with the Jewish state, received them. It is symbolic that two days before this meeting, Aliyev's advisor Hikmet Hajiyev held talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other officials in Jerusalem.
Previously, delegations of this level from AIPAC had not visited Baku, although relations between this leading Jewish organization in the US and Azerbaijan have always been positive.
The sharp intensification of relations between the pro-Israel lobby in the US and Azerbaijan ahead of Trump’s inauguration likely indicates that relations between Washington and Baku will improve. Despite Trump’s proclaimed isolationist stance, it is clear, that the issue of Israel will remain central to the new administration’s foreign policy. Considering that key figures in the administration view Israel’s security as a foundational value, the importance of Azerbaijan as a primary guarantor of the Jewish state’s economic security increases.
Despite severe pressure from Iran and Turkey, Azerbaijan continues to supply about half of the energy resources Israel needs and has even increased supplies over the past year based on Israel’s needs.
Note that France and the Armenian lobby in the US largely influenced the Biden administration's hostile stance toward Baku. This was particularly due to the situation in Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan that was occupied by Armenia with Russian support for 30 years. During two armed conflicts in 2020 and 2023, Azerbaijan managed to reclaim this territory. According to experts, Israeli military technology played a significant role in these victories. Israel's backing for Baku contributed significantly to a surge of antisemitism in Armenia and the Armenian diaspora. It also led to a rapprochement between Yerevan, disappointed in Russia, and Tehran.
In this context, it is important to mention that improving relations between Washington and Baku will not rely solely on the Jewish lobby.
“According to Turkish sources, Azerbaijani presidential advisor Hikmet Hajiyev will head to Turkey to discuss the situation in Syria following his trip to Israel. Given that Turkey has been the largest supporter of the rebels that ousted Assad, it now must mediate with Israel to protect its interests. In the past, Azerbaijani leadership has successfully lowered tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem, and there is hope this will happen again now,” said Joseph Epstein, Director of Legislative Affairs for the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), to i24NEWS.
According to Epstein, there are those in the US and Israel who believe that involving Azerbaijan in the Abraham Accords would be a significant step toward expanding the alliance. “Given the long-standing warm relations between Jerusalem and Turkic states like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for many reasons such as defense and energy cooperation, coordination against Iran and the commitment to tolerance and religious freedom, these nations would be the perfect fit. The accords are not just an incentive for peace but also provide a high profile forum for cooperation between the US, Israel and pro-US Muslim countries devoted to tolerance. Expanding the accords to the South Caucasus and Central Asia would help the US establish a much better foothold in a region that is rich in minerals and energy and crucial to the establishment of the Middle Corridor.”