Azerbaijan is trying to reduce the growing tension between Israel and Turkey in the context of the new order in Syria. Although the support Israel provides to the Kurds in Syria and Russia’s attempts to maintain its presence in the region has been criticized by Azerbaijan, the Aliyev regime aims to mediate between the two countries to prevent conflict.
In recent weeks, Israel has increased its messages and military operations against the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime in Syria.
This situation has highlighted a path for confrontation between Israel, which supports the current regime in Syria, and Turkey. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that he aims to disarm southern Damascus has led to deadly attacks in Syria and protests against Israel.
It has been noted that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz’s threats against the HTS regime are based on the pretext of protecting the Druze minority.
At the same time, the Reuters news agency reported that Israel is trying to convince Americans to leave Russian bases in Syria.
According to a report by Ynet, Netanyahu’s military secretary Roman Gofman’s series of meetings in Moscow on the same topic confirms that Israel is trying to balance Turkey’s influence in that country by keeping Russia in Syria.
Against this backdrop, Azerbaijan, which has close ties with both Turkey and Israel, is attempting to convey messages that will reconcile the two countries and prevent conflict.
However, sources familiar with the position of the Azerbaijani administration indicate that Israel’s assertion of limiting Turkey’s influence in Syria following former President Bashar al-Assad is in alignment with reality.
In particular, messages from Azerbaijan regarding Israel’s open support for the Kurds in Syria are becoming tougher.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has repeatedly stated since December that the international community must protect the Kurdish minority in the country.
Sources in Azerbaijan have told Haaretz that Israel’s attempts to maintain Russia’s presence in Syria are also futile.
According to sources, Russia will not remain in Syria, and if it wishes to secure any foothold, it will need to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Meanwhile, Russia admits that the prospects for maintaining its military bases in Syria are not promising.
Rasim Musabekov, a member of the parliamentary friendship group with the Knesset, told Haaretz: “We will try to reduce as much misunderstanding as possible between our strategic ally Turkey and our strategic partner Israel.”
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s foreign policy advisor Hikmet Hajiyev has visited Israel twice in recent months.
During his first visit, coinciding with the fall of the Al-Assad government, he met with President Yitzhak Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
About two weeks ago, during his second visit, Hajiyev met with Netanyahu and then traveled to Ankara a few days later to meet with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Ferhat Memedov, who led the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Azerbaijan and now heads the Institute for South Caucasus Studies, stated in an interview with Haaretz: “Azerbaijan wants the relations between Israel and Turkey to be systematic. It is in our interests for there to be no enmity between our closest ally and partner.”