The next topic of **Modern.az**'s *“Foreign Countries in Azerbaijan”* rubric is dedicated to **Israel**.
Israel's relations with Azerbaijan, which has been at the center of controversial attacks in the Middle East in recent months, are quite unique. These relations are not limited to diplomatic contacts.
The roots of these ties extend both to ancient times, to Jewish communities in Azerbaijan, and to modern-day cooperation in energy, security, and technology.
Against the backdrop of tensions in the Middle East, some experts evaluate Israel as both an opportunity and a source of risk for Azerbaijan. However, contacts between the two countries did not begin yesterday, and it is not appropriate to evaluate them based on today's events.
Israel is an important player in the context of regional security, and the situation does not change regardless of who is in power in this country.
Our questions, for which we will seek answers within the framework of the rubric, remain unchanged:
How does Israel appear in Azerbaijan?
What is the view of Israel from Azerbaijan?
And most importantly, what does the future of these relations depend on?
In the Red Settlement of Azerbaijan's Guba region, there is a Jewish community that speaks the Jewish language and preserves its traditions.
Outside of Israel and the USA, this is the only settlement in the world where only Jews live. The narrow streets, ancient synagogues, and the Museum of Mountain Jews in the Red Settlement are clear evidence of this people's ties with Azerbaijan. The ancient manuscripts, household items, and religious attributes preserved in the museum are, as a whole, a part of Azerbaijan's multinational memory.
The Jewish trace is also indelible in Azerbaijan's modern history. Tank commander Albert Agarunov, who was martyred in the battles for the defense of Shusha, is a National Hero of Azerbaijan. His memory lives on in the streets, schools, and hearts of people in Baku.
Jews living in Azerbaijan
According to various estimates, approximately 16,000 Jews live in Azerbaijan today. They are mainly divided into three large groups:
Mountain Jews number approximately 11,000 people. They mostly live in Baku, Guba (Red Settlement), Oghuz, and other regions.
Ashkenazi Jews number approximately 4,300 people. This group, which migrated to Azerbaijan during the Soviet era, is mainly settled in Baku and Sumgait.
Georgian Jews number approximately 700 people. Although their number is relatively small, they actively participate in Jewish communities in Baku.
Diplomatic Relations
Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Israel were established on April 7, 1992. At that time, Israel was one of the first partners in the Middle East for the newly independent country. One year later, in 1993, Israel opened its embassy in Baku.
Azerbaijan's embassy in Tel Aviv began its operations in 2023, and Mukhtar Mammadov was appointed ambassador to Israel. Shortly after the embassy's opening, Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Baku, and the meetings held by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Tel Aviv in the spring of the same year, were of significant importance for the political relations between the parties.
Besides Herzog, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Baku in 1997 and 2016, and Israeli President Shimon Peres in 2009.
Energy and Trade
Israel receives approximately 40 percent of its oil from Azerbaijan. This energy route, transported from Ceyhan port to Ashkelon via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline, is one of the main pillars of strategic cooperation.
Trade turnover exceeded 1.5 billion dollars in 2024. Azerbaijan primarily exports oil to Israel, while Israel sells technology, agricultural, and security equipment to Azerbaijan. Besides energy, Israel transfers water management and agricultural technologies to Azerbaijan. Drip irrigation, greenhouse systems, and climate change adaptation projects serve the modernization of agriculture.
According to official data, up to 140 Israeli companies operate in Azerbaijan. Companies exist in the fields of energy, trade, industry, agriculture, innovation, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and tourism.
Security and Defense
According to SIPRI data, a large portion of the weapons acquired by Azerbaijan in the last decade are Israeli-made. In the 2020 Patriotic War, Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles, missile, and air defense systems played a vital role. Hundreds of Armenian tanks, armored vehicles, and other installations were destroyed with Israeli-made “Harop”, “Orbiter”, and other drones.
Culture, Education, and Tourism
Educational programs, student exchange, and cultural events exist between Israel and Azerbaijan. In 2023, 29,000 Israeli tourists visited Azerbaijan. The resumption of direct Baku-Tel Aviv flights from 2025 has further expanded tourism ties.
A Jewish school named “Chabad Or-Avner” was established in Baku in 2010. The educational institution is intended exclusively for Jewish children. Approximately 200 students are educated at the school.
In the schools operating in the Red Settlement, Jewish children also receive education in Azerbaijani and Russian languages. There are also clubs where religious knowledge is taught.
Balanced Policy and the View of Israel from Baku
Against the backdrop of tensions in the Middle East, Azerbaijan maintains a balanced position. On one hand, it continues humanitarian aid to Palestine and supports the two-state solution proposal. On the other hand, it keeps strategic cooperation channels with Israel open.
Azerbaijan's cooperation with Israel while simultaneously supporting Palestine may seem contradictory at first glance. But this policy is actually an example of Baku's long-standing multi-vector foreign policy.
As a Muslim country, Azerbaijan stands with Palestine, but strategic partnership with Israel is an important factor for the country's security architecture. Israel is one of Azerbaijan's most important energy buyers and plays the role of a stable market in oil exports. Military-technological cooperation is also important for Azerbaijan.
If the Gaza war enters a completely new phase, Baku may be forced to make a more explicit choice. This, in turn, is a strategic risk for Baku. Azerbaijan wants the war to end soon and has repeatedly expressed this on international platforms. Although there are certain contradictions in the views of Israel from Azerbaijani society today, the general approach is almost the same. The Azerbaijani people, who have suffered from war for many years, also want the war to end soon and do not want people to become victims of political games.
Modern Analysis and Research Group
