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Azerbaijan's strategic location is crucial for Israel’s security, necessitating a clear support policy for this ally.
By MORDECHAI KEDAR FEBRUARY 13, 2025 02:02
Azerbaijan & Israel Cooperation
(photo credit: PIXABAY)
In “Backing an assault by Azerbaijan on Armenia is not in Israel’s interest” (January 26, 2025), Dan Perry and Gilad Sher say Israel should back Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan or at least keep a neutral standpoint.
They are totally mistaken; The Jewish state should back Azerbaijan in any of its conflicts, especially those with Iran and its ally, Armenia.
Perry and Sher admit, “The regime in Baku sells oil to Israel, buys Israeli weapons, and offers a forward base for monitoring and countering Iran.” This means Azerbaijan is an essential element in Israel’s security.
After all, it is the only friendly state that borders the Islamic Republic, which makes it possible for Israel to use it for intelligence purposes and possibly operations as well.
“Recently, Azerbaijan has shown that its ambitions extend to sovereign territory in Armenia: the seizure of the so-called Zangezur corridor in southern Armenia, in the region of Syunik,” they wrote.
And they are right – and Israel should support the Azerbaijani demand to control the Zangezur corridor since it cuts the territorial connection between Iran and Armenia, and is in Israel’s interest. Perry and Sher are afraid that “by linking Turkey with Azerbaijan and Central Asia, this corridor would extend Turkish influence across the region.”
Just to remind them, Turkey already has a significant influence on Turkish-speaking countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus, such as Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, and the Zangezur corridor will enable Ankara to create a land line – railway and roads – between Europe and China passing through Turkey.
Such a lane might push Turkey to a more economy-directed policy aiming at regional peace and security rather than shaking the international boat with radical policies.
Perry and Sher remind us that “Erdogan’s support for Islamist militias in Syria has entrenched Turkey’s influence there, particularly in the northwest.” However, they have forgotten that these “Islamist militias” kicked Iran and its proxies out of Syria and cut off the Syrian passage of Iranian missiles, weapons, and ammunition from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Isn’t that in Israel’s interest?
They claim that “the loss of this corridor would also devastate Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, signaling to other authoritarian regimes that aggression against weaker neighbors will go unchecked.” We should remember that the Azerbaijani demand to control the corridor is based on the 2020 ceasefire agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
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The authors are totally mistaken in concluding that, “As for Israel, supporting the Zangezur corridor’s seizure in any way would cross a dangerous line. Israel should oppose this move, balancing its strategic alliance with Azerbaijan…”
These relations are of the highest importance
No, Israel should enhance its relations with Azerbaijan as much as possible since these relations are of the highest importance, especially in the near future when Iran might cross the threshold on its way to a nuclear bomb.
The strategic location of Azerbaijan and its special importance for Israel’s security imposes on the Jewish state the necessity to adopt a crystal-clear policy of support for such an ally.
Friendship is tested in times of necessity, and if Azerbaijan needs Israel’s support, it should be given – generously and decisively. Loyalty to friends is a highly important component of any state’s status in the international arena.
The writer is a Middle East scholar and commentator on the region.
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