How Azerbaijan became Israel’s most reliable ally in the Middle East The story of 30-year-old friendship

Israeli TV channel i24News recently published an article by Avi Monakov highlighting Azerbaijan's strong and unique relationship with Israel, stating that Azerbaijan stands closer to Israel than any other nation. Caliber.Az presents a reworded version of this article for our readers.

Thirty years ago, Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin held a significant one-on-one meeting in New York, marking the beginning of a strong bilateral relationship. During this meeting, they discussed mutual needs: Azerbaijan required Israeli technologies for defence, while Israel sought reliable sources of oil. Since then, this partnership has grown, with Azerbaijan, a Shia Muslim-majority country, becoming one of Israel’s most reliable allies.

According to Joseph Epstein, Director of Research at the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), “Azerbaijan is closer to Israel than any other country except for the United States.” However, Epstein points out that, unlike Washington, “Baku has never pressured or threatened Jerusalem over its conflict with the Palestinians or anything else.”

The collaboration between the two countries extends far beyond their mutual concerns about Iran. Azerbaijan and Israel work closely in sectors such as energy, defence, science, and agriculture. Azerbaijan supplies Israel with approximately 50% of its oil.

“Azerbaijan has stuck with Israel even as many of its Western partners turn against it over the war in Gaza,” Epstein observes. “While countries like France, Germany, and the United Kingdom fluctuate on weapon embargos against the Jewish state, Azerbaijan has only increased its energy exports to Israel since October 7th and the ensuing multi-front war.”

Experts such as Professor Ze’ev Khanin and Captain (res.) Alex Grinberg, who recently examined Azerbaijan's relationship with Israel for the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, have noted the importance of this stable alliance. They argue that incoming President Donald Trump should view Azerbaijan’s partnership with Israel as a key asset for US interests. 

“The same benefits that Azerbaijan brings to Israel could easily be brought on a much larger scale to the United States,” Epstein states. “But harnessing it requires a pivot in policy from the administration.”

Previous US administrations have often placed more focus on the Armenian issue, influenced by a politically active Armenian diaspora, which has strained relations with Azerbaijan. However, with the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia nearing resolution, this dynamic could change, especially under Trump's administration, known for breaking from traditional foreign policy approaches.

“Both the Azerbaijani and Armenian governments want to end this chapter and focus on regional integration and better relations with the West, first and foremost with the United States,” says Grinberg. “The quickest road to that is by ending the conflict.”

Azerbaijan's relationship with the West, particularly its role in the Middle Corridor, offers significant benefits to both sides. The corridor serves as a vital transit route connecting Asia to Europe. With conflicts like the war in Ukraine and attacks by the Houthis disrupting major trade routes, the Middle Corridor has become even more critical. Azerbaijan could offer not only its own oil and gas reserves but also untapped resources from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.