Envoy: Flights, tourism and innovation drive deepening Azerbaijan–Israel relations

Relations between Azerbaijan and Israel continue to expand steadily across tourism, innovation, and political cooperation, reflecting growing engagement between the two states, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Israel, Mukhtar Mammadov, said.

According to Israeli media, he made the remarks while addressing a conference attended by leaders of the largest Jewish organisations in the United States. During the event, he was recognised for his comments highlighting the continued development of bilateral cooperation.

“Soon we will have 27 flights a week from Israel to Baku. In 2025, 170,000 Israelis travelled through our country, and we expect further growth as a tourist route towards the East,” the ambassador said, emphasising the sharp rise in travel flows and connectivity between the two countries.

He noted that Baku aims to broaden cooperation on several levels. “Our goal is to strengthen the ties between people and countries. Only space is the limit in our partnership. Since the beginning of the year, 3 of our ministers have visited Israel to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in various fields. From our perspective, the Abraham Accords are a step back from the level of deep cooperation between us,” he said.

Responding to criticism voiced in the United States, the ambassador accused Armenian advocacy groups of conducting campaigns against Azerbaijan. “The Armenian lobby is running an aggressive campaign against us in the US, similar to what has been done against Israel around the world. This will not deter us. We will not allow the radicalisation of populations and certain groups within the country,” he said.

Israel and Azerbaijan maintain close diplomatic and economic ties, including cooperation in the energy, defence, and technology sectors. The ambassador’s statements at the conference underscored ongoing efforts by both sides to expand people-to-people contacts alongside cooperation at the governmental level.

By Tamilla Hasanova