Access to crude oil, gasoline and diesel has long been a major headache for Israeli policymakers, POLITICO writes.
While Israel’s exact oil import statistics are a national secret, Azerbaijan has now emerged as its leading partner, having sold Israel $300 million worth of crude this past January alone, while receiving huge volumes of weaponry to use in its conflict with neighboring Armenia.
“Israel valued Azerbaijan as a crucial ally within the Muslim-majority world, offering not only strategic depth but also essential energy security,” Ayaz Rzayev, a research fellow at Baku’s Topchubashov Center, said. According to him, for Azerbaijan, the relationship with Israel provided access to cutting-edge military technology, helping maintain a significant technological edge in the region
However, even that relationship is becoming more uncertain as the war in Gaza escalates, given that “Azerbaijan also places significant importance on its solidarity with Muslim states”. Turkey, Azerbaijan’s closest ally, has become a leading champion of the Palestinian cause since the conflict exploded, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan imposing an unprecedented trade embargo on Israel.
“The big question is what do the Turks do. Most of Israel’s oil comes via pipelines to Turkey, and if they wanted they could cut off the spigot,” Chuck Freilich, a former national security official, thinks.
