“GEGHARD”
SCIENTIFIC ANALYTICAL
FOUNDATION
2024
2024
Israel's military operations and war methods in Gaza, which have caused the death of tens of thousands of civilians, have raised a wave of criticism around the world.
The war in Gaza has also aggravated the relations between Turkey and Israel. Turkish President Erdogan regularly criticizes Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu, while the behavior and policies of Turkey's close ally Azerbaijan raise questions.
On the one hand, Azerbaijan, which has close relations with Israel, conducts a policy of maintaining distance in this conflict, thus indirectly supporting Israel. Azerbaijan continues to supply oil to Israel, which is of utmost importance for the latter. On the other hand, Azerbaijan positions itself as a member of the Islamic community. (Islamic countries have expressed solidarity with the Palestinians and harshly criticized Israel's actions, unlike Azerbaijan).
One should not forget that Azerbaijan has consistently raised the Artsakh issue within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to ensure the solidarity and support of the global Islamic community for its position.
This duality inevitably raises questions. The office of SOCAR, the Azerbaijani oil and gas monopolist, has already been attacked several times in Turkey due to its supply of oil to Israel. The latest incidents occurred on May 31 and June 2, when Palestinian activists picketed the organization's office in Istanbul.
The Azerbaijani company responded by claiming that oil-producing companies sell their products to intermediary trading organizations, which then resell the raw oil on the market (i.e., Baku does not sell oil directly to Israel). In SOCAR's clarifications and in the publications of the Azerbaijani media, there appears to be a veiled reproach towards Turkey. The Azerbaijani company highlights various multibillion-dollar projects implemented in Turkey, and several Azerbaijani media sources suggest that these criticisms aim to spoil Azerbaijani-Turkish relations. Additionally, arrows are pointed towards Iran, arguing that those who carried out the attack are influenced by Iranian circles. It should be noted that in recent months, Iran has regularly criticized Azerbaijan for selling oil to Israel during the war.
It should also be emphasized that despite Erdogan's harsh anti-Israeli rhetoric and the freezing of political and economic ties, Azerbaijani oil continues to flow to Israel through the territory of Turkey. Azerbaijan remains the most important source of fuel for Israel, significantly exceeding other oil-supplying countries.