{"id":91059,"date":"2024-08-28T13:16:03","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T09:16:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/?p=91059"},"modified":"2024-09-15T00:46:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-14T20:46:56","slug":"politico-azerbaijan-sold-israel-300-million-worth-of-crude-past-january-alone-in-exchange-for-a-huge-amount-of-weapons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abcmedia.am\/en\/politics\/91059\/","title":{"rendered":"POLITICO: Azerbaijan sold Israel $300 million worth of crude past January alone, in exchange for a huge amount of weapons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Access to crude oil, gasoline and diesel has long been a major headache for Israeli policymakers, POLITICO<\/a> writes.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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<\/a> provided access to cutting-edge military technology, helping maintain a significant technological edge in the region<\/p>\n

However, even that relationship is becoming more uncertain as the war in Gaza escalates, given that “Azerbaijan<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"