Ankara- Turkish Foreign Minister received Hakan FidanYesterday, Tuesday, his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, in a meeting that focused on discussing developments in ongoing regional issues.
Fidan stressed the depth of the fraternal relations between Türkiye andAzerbaijanHe stressed that it is based on historical, cultural, linguistic and common identity foundations, and stressed that the two countries will remain united in all circumstances, whether good or bad.
The Palestinian issue was not absent from the meeting, as the discussion touched on the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for more than 10 months, which raised questions about the extent to which the two countries’ visions matched on this issue.
Baku and the Gaza War
In recent years, relations between Israel and Azerbaijan have witnessed a remarkable flourishing on all levels, as the latter has become one of the largest destinations for Israeli arms exports, which – including precision aircraft and missile interception systems – were a decisive element in Baku’s superiority during the Second Karabakh War.
According to experts, Israel supplied about 70% of Azerbaijan’s arsenal between 2016 and 2020, giving Baku a significant advantage over Armenia and significantly boosting Israel’s defense industry.
On the other hand, Azerbaijan has increased its energy supplies to Israel, becoming a major source that provides about 40% of Israel’s energy needs after the outbreak of the Ukraine war. The relationship between the two parties was not limited to economic and military cooperation, but extended to the intelligence field, as Israel finds in Azerbaijan a strategic location to carry out its intelligence activities against its “arch-rival” Iran.
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With regional tensions rising, especially with Iran, Azerbaijan emerges as a key player unwilling to give up its lucrative relationship with Israel, especially given its support from Turkey and understandings with Russia. During the recent Israeli escalation against the Palestinians in GazaAzerbaijan has contented itself with issuing statements condemning the violence and calling for an end to the war and a return to peace negotiations, without taking more severe steps against Israel.
Despite the sympathy of the Azerbaijani street for the Palestinians, the absence of strong popular pressure has allowed the government to maintain a balance in its relations with Israel, due in part to the great gratitude the latter enjoys for its role in strengthening Azerbaijan’s military capabilities during its conflict with Armenia.
In the diplomatic context, Azerbaijan voted in favor of the UN General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza, but this vote reflects the maximum that Baku may go to in supporting the Palestinian cause, in light of its political balances and strategic interests, according to observers.
contrast with Ankara
Since the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza, Ankara has taken a firm stance against Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians, as Turkish reactions have escalated, ranging from public condemnations and denunciations to the president describing… Recep Erdogan Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu He is the “Hitler of our time.”
Turkey has taken concrete steps, such as suspending cooperation with Israel in the energy sector and imposing restrictions on the export of 54 products to Israel. In early May, Ankara escalated its measures by suspending all trade transactions with Israel, in a move that reflects the depth of Turkish discontent with Israeli policies in Gaza.
The apparent discrepancy in the positions of Ankara and Baku has raised questions about the extent to which recent tensions between Turkey and Israel have affected the latter’s close relationship with Azerbaijan.
In this context, the Dean of the Faculty of World Economics at Azerbaijan State University, Muhammad Yuga, told Al Jazeera Net that Turkey is aware of the uniqueness of the relationship between Azerbaijan and Israel, which depends largely on strategic interests that Baku cannot abandon at the present time.
He added that the most prominent of these interests is the support that Baku receives from the Zionist lobby in Washington, which balances the influence of the Armenian lobby and helps it achieve its ambitions to expand into the northwestern regions of Iran, known in Azerbaijan as “South Azerbaijan.”
Yuga believes that the current circumstances allow the relationship between Ankara and Baku to continue without major disruptions, but he warns that in the event of a regional war, Azerbaijan may find itself forced to choose one ally, with Turkey likely to be the closest option, given the historical and strategic ties between the two countries.
Turkish annoyance
Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, political analyst specialising in Turkish affairs Taha Odeh Oglu confirmed that Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are characterised by clear solidity, as demonstrated by the great support Turkey provided to Azerbaijan during the Karabakh war, and the continued close communication between the two countries.
However, Oglu pointed out that the Gaza war has complicated the situation in several arenas, as a contradiction appears in the Turkish-Azerbaijani relationship against the backdrop of the successive statements of the Turkish president against Israel and its prime minister, in contrast to Azerbaijan’s position, which is characterized by reservation and non-criticism of the occupation and the continuation of military and energy cooperation with Israel.
The political analyst added that this discrepancy has complicated matters between Ankara and Baku, despite the strength of the relationship that appears in the media, pointing out that there is Turkish discomfort with Azerbaijan’s position on this issue. He also explained that he does not believe that Ankara can significantly influence Baku regarding the continuation of its relations with Israel, especially since Azerbaijani oil is transported and exported from the Turkish port of Ceyhan, which is what Ankara desperately needs at the present time.
Davutoglu stressed that the tension between Turkey and Israel will greatly affect Azerbaijan, noting that before the outbreak of the Gaza war, Baku played a prominent role in bringing viewpoints closer together and normalizing relations between Turkey and Israel, which resulted in a meeting between Erdogan and Netanyahu, and there were expectations of the latter’s visit to Ankara, but the outbreak of the war in Gaza stopped this path and fueled tensions.
