My Muslim Ally

A Trusted History

For centuries, the northeastern region of Azerbaijan has been home to the Mountain Jews, a unique and ancient Jewish community with Persian roots. Their language, Juhuri (a blend of Persian and Hebrew), and their distinct customs set them apart from both Ashkenazi (European) and Sephardi (Spanish/Middle Eastern) Jewish traditions. At the heart of their presence in Azerbaijan is Red Village (Krasnaya Sloboda), the only all-Jewish town outside of Israel, often called the “Jerusalem of the Caucasus.”

What’s remarkable is not just the community’s longevity, but the peaceful coexistence they’ve experienced with their Muslim neighbors. While much of the Jewish world has experienced persecution and exile, the Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan have lived in relative harmony, even during the Soviet era and in today’s shifting geopolitical landscape.

These seeds of Israel–Azerbaijan relations took root shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Azerbaijan declared its independence in 1991, and by 1992, Israel had become one of the first countries to recognize the fledgling republic. From there, ties only deepened. Unlike many Muslim nations, Azerbaijan never shied away from publicly embracing Israel. In fact, Israeli flags are often visible at official events in the capital city Baku, and Jewish life is not just tolerated but welcomed. Over the decades, this partnership has grown from quiet diplomacy to robust cooperation. From trade and tourism to defense and diplomacy, Israel and Azerbaijan have proven that friendship isn’t dictated by religious labels but by shared values and mutual respect.

Threats and Innovation

One of the key pillars of this relationship is a mutual understanding of threat. Both nations are surrounded by adversaries who do not wish them well. For Israel, the existential threats from Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and radical Islamist movements are all too familiar. Azerbaijan, too, lives under the shadow of hostility.

This shared reality has created a deep sense of solidarity. Israel understands the burden of being surrounded by enemies; Azerbaijan does too. Both nations know what it means to fight for sovereignty, to struggle for survival and to stand alone when others turn away. In many geopolitical ways, they are kindred spirits, survivors in a hostile neighborhood. 

Azerbaijan stands almost alone among Muslim-majority countries willing to meet Israel’s urgent energy needs. And in exchange, Israel offers what Azerbaijan desperately needs: defense innovation. Surrounded by adversaries and still locked in a volatile relationship with neighboring nations, Azerbaijan has turned to Israel for cutting-edge military technology, especially in the areas of drone warfare, cybersecurity and missile defense. Israeli technology played a decisive role in Azerbaijan’s military success, giving it a strategic edge in the battlefield.

Black Gold

The cooperation between Jerusalem and Baku is also deeply strategic. Azerbaijan supplies Israel with a lifeline: oil. In fact, since the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, Azerbaijan has exported an average of 1.3 million tons of crude oil per month to Israel, a figure that reflects steadily increasing monthly volumes through 2024. This vital oil is transported through the BTC (Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan) pipeline and clandestinely shipped to Israel from Turkish ports. Turkey officially severed ties with Israel in November 2024 and has denied that any tankers destined for Israel are leaving its ports. However, investigative reports and shipping data suggest otherwise.

Increasingly, this trade places both nations in the crosshairs of those who seek to sever the flow—literally and diplomatically—and Israel’s enemies have taken notice. Anti-Israel advocacy campaigns like Stop Fueling Genocide have raised alarms, accusing Azerbaijan, British Petroleum and even Turkey of violating embargoes and facilitating what they claim are war crimes. This raises the stakes as Israel’s energy security is now not only a matter of economic sustainability; due to the ongoing war, the continued supply of oil from Jerusalem’s largest supplier has become a national security imperative. The oil is refined into aviation fuel for Israel’s military, including for their F-35 fighter jets. 

Against the Odds

There’s a certain poetic justice in the fact that while Iran threatens both Israel and Azerbaijan with belligerent rhetoric and destabilizing actions, the two nations have responded not with isolation or fear, but with deeper cooperation. Together, they’ve transformed a shared threat into an opportunity: to build trust; protect their people; and shape a future not dictated by hatred. Even amid the war in Gaza or during regional flare-ups, Azerbaijan has held the line. That takes courage. That takes conviction. And that’s exactly the kind of ally Israel needs.