As the world’s leaders convene in Sharm el-Sheikh for the Middle East Peace Summit, expectations are high, but so is skepticism.
Convened at the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump, the summit brings together more than 20 heads of state and government, including the presidents of Azerbaijan, Egypt, Türkiye, France, Indonesia, and the United States, as well as monarchs from Jordan, Bahrain, and Qatar. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit will also attend. The summit’s stated mission is ambitious: to end the war in Gaza, promote stability, and open a new chapter for regional security.
For now, these are noble goals. The real test will come after the meeting concludes. Neither Israel nor Hamas will be at the table, and Iran, though invited by Washington, has already declined to participate. Their absence highlights the summit’s central challenge: achieving peace when the key belligerents are not even present.
photo: Trend
Yet despite the complexities, the timing is critical. The guns have fallen silent in Gaza. After months of devastating conflict, a U.S.-brokered ceasefire has taken hold. Hamas has released the remaining 20 hostages, while Israel has freed nearly two thousand Palestinian prisoners in return. For the first time since the October 2023 escalation, Gazans are returning home, and the possibility of rebuilding their shattered lives has reemerged. Trump hailed this as a “historic day” for the Muslim and Arab world, for Israel, and for the United States - a fragile but meaningful step toward de-escalation.
Stability in the Middle East remains a cornerstone of global equilibrium. Peace in the region, or its absence, reverberates far beyond its borders, shaping the political and economic landscape across Eurasia. That is why the summit’s invitation list is so diverse, including leaders from Europe, Asia, and even the South Caucasus. Among them is Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, whose presence reflects not only diplomatic courtesy but recognition of Baku’s rising international stature.
Azerbaijan’s inclusion is strategically significant. Though not a party to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Azerbaijan has proven itself a capable mediator in tense regional situations. Over the years, Baku has quietly facilitated dialogue between Türkiye and Israel, Ankara and Moscow, and even Tel Aviv and Damascus. It has hosted NATO-Russia consultations and served as neutral ground for complex discussions that few others could accommodate. This accumulated experience gives Azerbaijan a unique diplomatic credibility - pragmatic, non-ideological, and results-driven.
photo: kafkassam
Equally important is the personal authority of President Ilham Aliyev, whose leadership has elevated Azerbaijan’s role on the global stage following the Second Karabakh War. His ability to maintain productive relations with key Middle Eastern powers - Türkiye, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar - positions him as a figure capable of speaking to all sides with credibility. In an era of polarization, that carries considerable weight.
Today, Azerbaijan has evolved from a regional actor into a middle power with global ambitions. In just the first weeks of October, Aliyev attended four major summits - from Copenhagen’s European Political Community to the CIS meeting in Dushanbe, the Organization of Turkic States in Gabala, and culminating with his invitation to Sharm el-Sheikh. Far from symbolic, this demonstrates the steady expansion of Baku’s diplomatic reach and its credibility as an emerging venue for serious international dialogue.
Azerbaijan’s contribution to Middle East peace will not be measured by pressure or persuasion alone, but by balance and understanding. Its rare combination of Muslim identity, friendly relations with Israel, and long-standing support for Palestinian statehood gives it an exceptional ability to bridge divides that others cannot. Baku recognized Palestine back in 1992, when few in the West had even considered it. At the same time, it has cultivated a deep partnership with Israel based on mutual respect and shared strategic interests. This duality allows Azerbaijan to act as a rare, impartial actor in one of the world’s most entrenched conflicts.
photo: APA
As the guns fall silent in Gaza, the question of what comes next looms large. Who will govern the territory? Can any form of international administration succeed without sparking new tensions? Hamas has already begun reasserting control, rejecting external oversight. The outcome of the Sharm el-Sheikh summit may not answer these questions immediately, but it can help lay the groundwork for dialogue, reconstruction, and, most importantly, hope.
The Middle East desperately needs peace, and any sincere effort to bring it closer deserves support. Amid the maneuverings of great powers and regional heavyweights, small but credible voices often make the biggest difference. Azerbaijan’s steady, pragmatic diplomacy may not make headlines, but in times of fragile peace, it is precisely such quiet strength that the world needs most.
By Tural Heybatov
