A Singular Ally: Why Muslim-Majority Azerbaijan Stands Alone With Israel ?

In a world where the Gaza war has sharply polarized global opinion, particularly within the Muslim-majority nations that overwhelmingly condemn Israel’s actions, Azerbaijan emerges as a striking anomaly. As the only Muslim-majority country to maintain robust ties with Israel during this conflict, Azerbaijan’s stance is not driven by religious affinity or ideological alignment but by a pragmatic, decades-long strategic partnership rooted in mutual interests. This article explores the historical, economic, military, and geopolitical factors that underpin Azerbaijan’s unique position, the challenges it faces, and why it remains steadfast in its alliance with Israel despite regional and domestic pressures.

Historical Foundations: A Partnership Born of Pragmatism

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The Azerbaijan-Israel relationship traces its roots to the early 1990s, following Azerbaijan’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Israel was among the first nations to recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, establishing diplomatic relations in 1992. A pivotal moment came during a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, where the groundwork was laid for a partnership based on mutual benefit: Azerbaijan needed advanced military technology to counter threats, particularly from Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while Israel sought a reliable energy supplier to diversify its sources.

Unlike many Muslim-majority nations, Azerbaijan’s secular governance and focus on national interests over pan-Islamic ideology allowed it to forge ties with Israel without the constraints of religious solidarity. The opening of Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tel Aviv in March 2023, even as tensions in Gaza escalated, signaled Baku’s commitment to this relationship. This move, coupled with Azerbaijan’s small but historically significant Jewish community (estimated at 7,000–16,000), provides a cultural bridge, though the alliance is primarily driven by strategic imperatives.

Energy Interdependence: The Economic Backbone

Azerbaijan’s role as a critical energy supplier to Israel is a cornerstone of their partnership. The Muslim-majority nation provides approximately 40% of Israel’s crude oil needs, and together with Kazakhstan, accounts for over 60% of Israel’s oil imports. This energy lifeline has remained uninterrupted during the Gaza war, with Azerbaijan exporting 1,021,917 tons of crude oil to Israel between January and April 2024—a 28% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

In October 2023, Azerbaijan’s state-owned SOCAR made a significant move by acquiring a 10% stake in Israel’s Tamar gas field, marking its first direct investment in Israel’s energy sector. This deal not only deepened economic ties but also positioned Azerbaijan as a player in the Eastern Mediterranean energy market. For Israel, Azerbaijan’s reliability as an energy partner is crucial, particularly during conflicts when other suppliers might face pressure to impose embargoes. In return, Israel’s investments in Azerbaijan’s energy infrastructure enhance Baku’s geopolitical leverage, creating a symbiotic relationship that withstands regional turmoil.

Military Cooperation: A Strategic Alliance

Israel’s role as Azerbaijan’s primary supplier of advanced weaponry has solidified their strategic alliance. According to the Stockholm International Peace Institute, Israel accounts for nearly 70% of Azerbaijan’s arms imports. Israeli-made drones, such as the Harop and Hermes, along with sophisticated missile systems, played a decisive role in Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenia in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. This military support has made Israel an indispensable partner, particularly as Azerbaijan seeks to maintain its military edge in the South Caucasus.

Beyond arms sales, the two nations engage in extensive intelligence sharing, particularly regarding Iran, which both view as a mutual threat. Azerbaijan’s 760-kilometer border with Iran provides Israel with a strategic vantage point for monitoring Iranian activities, while Azerbaijan benefits from Israeli intelligence on regional extremist groups. In September 2023, amid the Gaza war, Azerbaijan and Israel signed a new arms deal, and reports from February 2024 indicate Baku’s active procurement of modern Israeli weapons, underscoring the resilience of their defense ties.

Geopolitical Pragmatism: Shared Threats and Interests

Azerbaijan’s foreign policy is characterized by pragmatism, prioritizing national interests over religious or ideological considerations. Several geopolitical factors align Azerbaijan with Israel, even as the Gaza war fuels anti-Israel sentiment across the Muslim world:

Mutual Distrust of Iran: Both nations view Iran as a significant threat. For Azerbaijan, Iran’s support for Armenia during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its suppression of Azerbaijan’s large Azeri minority (estimated at 20–30 million) have long strained relations. A 2023 attack on Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tehran, which killed one diplomat, led to the embassy’s temporary closure, further escalating tensions. Israel’s rivalry with Iran, particularly over its nuclear program, aligns with Azerbaijan’s concerns, making their partnership a counterweight to Iranian influence.
Opposition to Islamist Extremism: Azerbaijan’s secular government views Hamas, which launched the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, as a destabilizing fundamentalist actor rather than a legitimate resistance movement. This perspective aligns with Israel’s stance and contrasts with nations like Turkey, which supports Hamas. While Azerbaijan has not officially designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, its condemnation of the October 7 attack reflects a strategic alignment with Israel’s security concerns.
Regional Balancing Act: Azerbaijan maintains a delicate balance between its alliance with Israel and its close ties with Turkey, its strongest regional ally. Turkey’s vocal criticism of Israel and its trade boycott imposed in May 2024 have created friction, as Ankara expects Azerbaijan to align with its pro-Palestinian stance. However, Azerbaijan resists these pressures, prioritizing its strategic benefits with Israel. For instance, during a June 2024 meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Azerbaijan’s official summary omitted discussions on Palestine, focusing instead on bilateral ties with Turkey.

Azerbaijan’s Muted Response to the Gaza War

Unlike many Muslim-majority nations, Azerbaijan has not seen widespread protests, boycott campaigns, or significant anti-Israel rhetoric during the Gaza war. Its official response has been carefully calibrated to maintain its alliance with Israel while avoiding alienating the broader Islamic world:

Official Statements: President Ilham Aliyev has called for an end to the “tragedy in Gaza” and supported a UN resolution for a humanitarian ceasefire in late 2023, but he has refrained from directly condemning Israel. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed support for Palestinian statehood at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in October 2023, yet avoided criticizing Israel’s actions, focusing instead on humanitarian concerns.
Domestic Control: Azerbaijan’s tightly controlled political environment limits public expressions of pro-Palestinian sentiment. The government has suppressed pro-Iranian Islamist groups and devout Shia communities, preventing large-scale anti-Israel protests. A rare pro-Palestinian fundraising event in Baku was kept low-profile, reflecting the regime’s efforts to maintain stability and avoid inflaming domestic tensions.
Public Sentiment: While some Azerbaijanis sympathize with the Palestinian cause, Israel’s role in supporting Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh victory is widely appreciated. Online polls conducted in late 2023 suggest that nearly two-thirds of Azerbaijanis supported Israel during the October 7 Hamas attack, a stark contrast to sentiments in other Muslim-majority countries.

Challenges and Risks

Azerbaijan’s pro-Israel stance is not without risks, particularly given its alliances and position in the Islamic world:

Tensions with Turkey: Turkey’s strong support for Hamas and its boycott of Israel have strained Azerbaijan’s balancing act. In June 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters in Istanbul targeted SOCAR’s offices, demanding an end to Azerbaijan’s oil exports to Israel. SOCAR denied direct sales, claiming exports occur through third-party trading companies, but such incidents highlight Turkey’s expectations for Azerbaijan to align more closely with its stance.
Islamic World Perception: Azerbaijan’s refusal to condemn Israel risks undermining its standing in the OIC, where it has historically sought support for its position against Armenia. Its October 2023 statement condemning civilian casualties in Gaza was an attempt to mitigate this, but its continued oil exports and arms deals with Israel draw criticism from pro-Palestinian groups.
Domestic Islamist Sentiments: Although suppressed, Islamic currents in Azerbaijan sympathize with Palestine. The government’s secular policies and strategic ties with Israel could provoke radical sentiments if not carefully managed, particularly among the country’s Shia majority.

Why Azerbaijan Stands Alone

Azerbaijan’s alignment with Israel during the Gaza war sets it apart as the only Muslim-majority nation to maintain such a stance. Several factors explain this singularity:

National Interest Over Ideology: Azerbaijan’s secular governance and historical experience with Islamic fundamentalism align it closer to Israel’s worldview than to that of Hamas or its supporters. Its focus on energy exports, military strength, and countering Iran overrides calls for religious solidarity.
Strategic Partnership Benefits: The “unholy trinity” of oil, arms, and intelligence sharing provides tangible benefits that outweigh the costs of regional criticism. Israel’s support in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s role in Israel’s energy security create a mutually beneficial relationship that is resilient to external pressures.
Geopolitical Leverage: Azerbaijan’s ties with Israel enhance its standing with Western powers, particularly the United States, where pro-Israel lobbying groups support Baku against criticism of its human rights record or actions in Nagorno-Karabakh. This alignment strengthens Azerbaijan’s position on the global stage.

Conclusion

Azerbaijan’s decision to stand by Israel amid the Gaza war reflects a calculated strategy rooted in over three decades of deepening ties. Energy interdependence, military cooperation, and shared geopolitical concerns—particularly regarding Iran—have created a partnership that transcends religious differences. While Azerbaijan navigates pressures from Turkey and the Islamic world, its pragmatic foreign policy and tightly controlled domestic environment allow it to maintain this alliance with minimal disruption.

As the Gaza war continues to polarize global opinion, Azerbaijan’s role as the sole Muslim-majority ally of Israel underscores the limits of religious solidarity when national interests are at stake. This strategic outlier status positions Azerbaijan as a unique player in the Middle East, balancing its alliances with Israel, Turkey, and the broader Islamic world while advancing its own geopolitical and economic objectives. In a region defined by ideological divides, Azerbaijan’s singular alignment with Israel highlights the power of pragmatism in shaping international relations.

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