During a recent visit to Jerusalem, a senior Azerbaijani official explored key aspects of the bilateral relationship between Azerbaijan and Israel, The Caspian Post reports citing local media.
Hikmet Hajiyev, the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, held discussions on Sunday with Israel"s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa"ar.
Minister Sa"ar shared details of the meeting in a brief post on X, emphasizing the primary focus of the discussions.
"We discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Caucasus, regional security, and the strong bilateral relations between Israel and Azerbaijan. Our relations are robust, and we are committed to further strengthening it!" Sa"ar wrote.
His deputy, Sharren Haskel, also shared insights about the meeting, noting that it facilitated the exchange of perspectives on significant mutual interests.
Israel regards Azerbaijan as a "strategic partner," emphasizing their close historical and cultural ties. Following Azerbaijan"s regaining of its independence in 1991, Israel was among the first countries to recognize the rebirth of the republic. A Jewish community in Azerbaijan, numbering between 7,000 and 16,000, fosters cultural connections. However, for Azerbaijan and Israel, the political, defense, and economic relations have been the priority.
In 1997, Benjamin Netanyahu became the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit Azerbaijan, marking the start of enhanced trade and security cooperation. Over the years, Azerbaijan has become Israel"s fifth-largest trading partner, supplying oil to Israel while purchasing weaponry and military equipment.
Several strategic factors have cemented the relationship between the two nations over the past two decades. One of the key drivers is Israel"s interest in securing reliable oil supplies from the Caspian region. Azerbaijan plays a crucial role not only as a major oil supplier to the West and Israel but also as a vital transportation hub.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, an international energy project that began exporting in July 2006, has bolstered Azerbaijan"s status as a significant oil and gas producer. Since the pipeline reached full capacity in 2009, the volume of Azerbaijani oil exported to Israel has consistently increased. Israel purchases roughly 40 percent of its oil from Azerbaijan to meet its domestic demand. Today, Azerbaijan, along with Kazakhstan, accounts for 60 percent of Israel"s crude oil imports.
Azerbaijan has been one of the major importers of defense products from Israel for many years. In 2014-2018 and 2018-2022, according to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the second-largest importer of Israeli-made arms was Azerbaijan. In 2016-2020, purchases from Israel, one of the world"s top eight arms exporters, made up 69 percent of Azerbaijan"s arms imports.
In 2016, President Aliyev revealed that the defense equipment contracts between Azerbaijan and Israeli companies were close to $5 billion. Among the major arms supplied by Israel are loitering munitions, reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), guided missiles, and ballistic missiles produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit, Rafael, and other Israeli defense companies.
Azerbaijani authorities confirmed the use of Israeli-made "suicide" drones in the 2020 war with Armenia in the Karabakh region, the internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan. Harop loitering munitions, known also as "kamikaze drones," have reportedly had a significant impact, giving the Azerbaijani army a clear edge over Armenia"s troops on the battlefields. Azerbaijani forces also deployed the Israeli-made LORA operational-tactical missile system during the war.
In 2021, Israeli defense company Meteor Aerospace and Azerbaijan"s Caspian Ship Building Company established a joint venture, known as Caspian Meteor. Its product portfolio reportedly features high-tech defense solutions to meet the needs of the Azerbaijani military.
Meanwhile, the Innovation and Digital Development Agency, operating under Azerbaijan"s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, has collaborated with Israel"s renowned Technion Institute to establish the Azerbaijan Cyber Security Center.
On the Israel-Palestine issue, Azerbaijan unequivocally supports the two-state solution that should foster the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem recognized as its capital.
