Israel Foreign relations Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan and Israel began diplomatic relations in 1992 following Azerbaijan's independence from the Soviet Union. The relationship between Israel and Azerbaijan avoids overt military bases or formal alliance frameworks, instead operating through a deliberately low-profile strategy centered on arms transfers, intelligence collaboration, and sustained technological integration in the defense sector. Azerbaijan has been strengthening its ties with Israel since 2011, and in 2022, it announced that it would be opening an embassy in Israel, marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two states. Since the 1990s, Azerbaijan has played a vital role in Israel's regional security and energy strategies. In 2019, Azerbaijan supplied over 60% of the gasoline consumed in Israel. Additionally, Azerbaijan serves as Israel’s most significant partner among Muslim-majority nations, with both countries maintaining strong cooperation in defense, intelligence, and trade. According to security analyst, Gershon Kogan, Azerbaijan is Israel's "most consequential partner in the South Caucasus." During the ongoing Gaza war, Azerbaijan was reported as one of the only Muslim-majority country supporting Israel. Despite pressure from other Muslim nations, Azerbaijani leadership maintained its strategic partnership with Israel.