In a significant diplomatic development, Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, held extensive talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Tuesday, marking what officials describe as a potential "game-changing moment" in regional politics.
"Mr. Hajiyev conveyed the greetings of President Ilham Aliyev to Prime Minister Netanyahu," the Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel stated, adding that both sides discussed expanding bilateral cooperation and regional developments.
The high-level meeting, which comes just 48 hours after Netanyahu's strategic dialogue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, signals growing momentum for Azerbaijan's potential inclusion in the Abraham Accords framework, according to diplomatic sources familiar with the discussions.
"Azerbaijan has been one of Israel's most reliable partners in the Muslim world for three decades," a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post. "Their strategic importance to regional security architecture cannot be overstated."
Close relations with Azerbaijan positive development
The Atlantic Council, a prominent US think tank, recently emphasized that "Washington should learn from Israel’s diplomatic and security collaboration with Azerbaijan to bolster its own ties with Baku. Besides being a bulwark against Iran, close relations with Azerbaijan could help the United States gain a stronger foothold among Central Asian countries, with whom Azerbaijan has been developing stronger relations. This would be especially important for the United States, as Central Asia is rich in minerals and energy and is home to the Middle Corridor, a trade route from Asia to Europe that bypasses both Russia and Iran".
The same day, the Assistant to the Azerbaijani President arrived in Jerusalem, Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies published a special Prospective Paper called ”How to Effectively Engage Azerbaijan in Trump’s Regional Plans and in Israel’s Interests: Practical Recommendations”.
It points out that Israel and pro-Israel forces in the US should actively advocate for Azerbaijan’s inclusion in American-Israeli regional development, investment, and technology partnerships. Israel is already advancing a trilateral partnership model for Morocco, involving American companies, and plans to extend this approach to Sunni Gulf monarchies and the US in defense, AI, and cybersecurity as part of the Abraham Accords expansion. Azerbaijan’s participation in such initiatives would strengthen the Muslim component of Israel’s regional partnerships. Moreover, this fully aligns with the Trump administration’s strategy of expanding multilateral cooperation among US allies to reduce Washington’s financial burden on regional development and defense projects.
The paper highlights a significant obstacle: Section 907, a legislative amendment that has restricted U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan since 1992. "For the U.S. and Israel to fully leverage Azerbaijan's advantages within the new 'Greater Middle East' architecture, these formal obstacles must be eliminated," the report states.
Azerbaijan's unique position as a Muslim-majority country with decades-long strategic ties to Israel makes it an attractive partner for expanding the Abraham Accords to Muslim countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, experts say. Several senior officials from Azerbaijan’s Foreign and Economy Ministries have been actively engaged in bilateral relations with Israel for years and could serve as consultants for The Friedman Center for Peace Through Strength and the Abraham Fund as the accords expand. The country has consistently supported Israel during critical periods, including increasing oil exports by 55% during the recent conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah.
The timing of Hajiyev's visit, coinciding with renewed US-Israeli coordination on Iran's nuclear program, underscores Azerbaijan's strategic significance. Both Israel and Azerbaijan view the Iranian regime as an existential threat, making their security cooperation particularly valuable in the current geopolitical context.
As the Trump administration seeks to reshape regional alliances, Azerbaijan's role in facilitating Israel's integration into the "Greater Middle East" could prove crucial, particularly in expanding security and economic cooperation with other Muslim nations.