US think tank slams “cynical claims” aiming to undermine nature of Azerbaijan–Israel ties Article by National Interest

As the threat of regional chaos in the Middle East and Central Asia is at an all-time high, especially with Iran looking increasingly fragile from the inside, an American public policy think tank has pointed to Azerbaijan's partnership with Israel as an example of the type of "strategic anchor" that the United States should be searching for.

The Azerbaijani-Israeli relationship has proved durable and useful to US interests as it exemplifies solid, reliable partners that can act as stabilizers in this environment, the publication of the Washington-based Center for the National Interest highlights in their latest analysis.

Their paper points out how the longstanding strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Israel is not only crucial for both those countries but also serves US interests, seeing as the alliance is rooted in shared security and anti-terrorism priorities, mutual cultural respect, a shared Iranian adversarial extremist threat, and a pragmatic approach to energy and defense.

"It is a steady anchor in a region still threatened with terrorism, radicalism, and political uncertainty," the article refers to Azerbaijani-Israeli relations.

The analysis also casts criticism to those parties that aim to portray this alliance under a false narrative, pointing the finger at remarks made by Armenian lobbyists in the US.

"Critics, however, often attack not only this alliance but also the extensive work that the Trump administration has done to bring peace to Azerbaijan and Armenia and to the Middle East with cynical, misleading claims. For example, Alex Galitsky, policy director for the Armenian National Committee of America [ANCA], teamed up with a past president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars [which anyone—scholar or not—can pay to join] to claim, 'Azerbaijan’s war in Nagorno-Karabakh served as a testing ground for the weapons, tactics, and methods that Israel later deployed against Gaza’s Palestinians.' This framing confuses two very different conflicts for purely political purposes while misrepresenting both," the National Interest article notes.

Recalling that the nature of the Azerbaijan-Israel alliance is frequently distorted, the paper maintains that the partnership is, in fact, "an innovative, logical partnership between two nations determined to maintain their technological edge in a dangerous world".

The article also points its readers' attention to the signing of the declaration of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity in the Oval Office with both the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in attendance. "With the US administration working so hard to promote peace and prosperity for America and its allies and partners in a world that has seen far too much war and volatility, stability is paramount," it states, urging that it was time "meaningful opportunities were recognized and encouraged rather than denigrated."

The analysis further dives into the economic component of the Azerbaijani-Israel ties, with a special focus on the energy sector, highlighting that "Azerbaijan has turned into a crucial safety net for both Israel and Europe. Azerbaijan is secular, predictable, and a reliable place to do business. Since their oil bypasses the usual Middle Eastern flashpoints, they give the West a way to sidestep hostile suppliers without worrying about the lights going out."

It continues discussing the significance of the social aspect of those relations, noting Azerbaijan's demographic make-up which consists of a Shia-majority population within which Jewish communities have existed and thrived for centuries.

Unlike the anti-Western sentiment rooted in neighbouring Iran, the article highlights that "Azerbaijan demonstrates that a modern, Muslim-majority nation can serve as a reliable, secular ally. This connection is the foundation of the [Israeli] partnership. Alliances are more resilient than purely transactional relationships based on just energy or weapons."

By Nazrin Sadigova