Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. (Spring 2013)
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ISRAEL'S PRIORITIES VIS-À-VIS AZERBAIJAN
According to Dr. Ariel Cohen of the Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation, "Israel's strategic priorities include developing good diplomatic and economic relations with Caucasus and Central Asia countries, preventing Iran from increasing its influence in the region, and participating in energy projects, including oil and gas imports to Israel." 3535
In April 2012, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman paid an official visit to Baku. He met with President Ilham Aliyev, with whom he discussed bilateral relations and Iran.
According to
Israeli analysts, "Lieberman’s visit comes one month after the American magazine Foreign Policy
reported that Azerbaijan has given Israel access to Azerbaijani airbases, which is considered an important step towards a possible attack on Iran." 36 Both Azerbaijan and Israel rejected the allegations. In Baku, Lieberman commented, "Such reports are from the sphere of science fiction and do not correspond with the truth." 37 Undoubtedly, Lieberman's visit once again confirmed the strategic character of the Israeli-Azerbaijani relationship. According to Israeli news media, "The foreign minister acknowledged that Israel
and Azerbaijan--which is strategically located on Iran’s northern border--have good, stable relations, and he described it as an ‘important country which Israeli-Azerbaijani Alliance and Iran
Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Spring 2013) 63 is now a member of the UN Security Council.’” 38
and the Caspian littoral as part of the Greater Middle East. 39 Israel, which for decades has had to deal with hostile neighboring Arab states, has attempted to improve its security as well as its foreign image and international relations. As part of this strategy, Israel has tried to develop relations with non-Arab Muslim states. "Expanding its influence into an
area of the world heavily Muslim but not Arab has long been a strategic Israeli objective." 40 This strategy is designed not only to improve relations with the Islamic world, but also to demonstrate that Israel can have peaceful relations with Muslim states. It has attempted to prove that there is no Israel-Muslim or
Jewish-Muslim confrontation. The collapse of the USSR provided a brilliant opportunity for Israel to develop
relations with
the newly
independent former
Soviet Muslim
republics. As of this writing, Israel has successfully established diplomatic relations with nine non-Arab Muslim states. 41 In this light, Azerbaijan's experience of the
peaceful cohabitation of Azeris and Jews was attractive for the Israeli political elite. This model served as a foundation upon which to develop a long-term partnership. Israeli policymakers enthusiastically responded to Azerbaijani attempts to establish close bilateral ties. A key element in the Azerbaijan-Israel relationship has been their mutual concern over the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran
presents the most serious threat
to
Israel. As result, Jerusalem has launched a strategy of active diplomacy in the region surrounding Iran. At a May 2009 conference at the Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University, the former head of the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate Major General Aharon Ze’evi Farkash said, "It is very important to form a coalition with the moderate Sunnite countries which… [fear the] Iranian nuclear threat." In addition, according to Israeli analyst Uzi Rabbi, "Israel must conduct active diplomacy in the regions surrounding Iran,” and “to resist Iranian aggression several coalition alliances should be formed." 42
location along Iran's northern border, plays an important part of Israel's foreign policy agenda vis-à-vis the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Israeli policymakers are aware of Azerbaijan’s insecurity and mistrust towards Iran because of Tehran's aid to Armenia, which occupies territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. In this regard, Israel has repeatedly declared that Jerusalem supported Azerbaijani territorial integrity. The former Israeli ambassador to Turkey and the ex- deputy foreign minister, Pinkhaz Avivi, said, "Our position is the following: We recognize the principle of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. We don't try to hide the fact that our relations with Azerbaijan are more intense and rewarding than our relations with Armenia and that relations with Azerbaijan are strategically important for us." He also added in an interview, "We have common goals. We understand Azerbaijan's concern with its Iranian neighbor better than anyone, and that's a good ground for rapprochement. Our dialogue with Armenia, on other hand, has always been interconnected with our relations with Turkey." 43
Undoubtedly, Turkish cooperation is essential for Israel's foreign and security policy. Israel
considers the Turkish- Azerbaijani alliance as a favorable factor for deepening and enhancing security and defense cooperation with Azerbaijan despite the cooling of Israel's relations with Ankara. Israel, for its part, considers the expansion of political and defense cooperation with
Mahir Khalifa-zadeh
64 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Spring 2013) Azerbaijan an
influential factor
for improving its relations with Turkey. The Israeli military industry is now a major provider of advanced aviation, anti-tank artillery, and anti-infantry weapon systems to
Azerbaijan. Furthermore, Israeli Aeronautics Defense Systems have helped Azerbaijan assemble unmanned aircrafts. 44
In February 2012, Israeli defense officials reportedly confirmed a deal to sell unmanned military aircrafts as well as antiaircraft and missile defense systems to Azerbaijan for approximate $1.6 billion. 45
Israel and Azerbaijan maintain intense cooperate on security issues as well. In October 2001, President Heydar Aliyev met with Israel's ambassador, Eitan Naeh, and confirmed that "their positions in the fight against
international terrorism... were identical." According to Israeli experts, groups like Hizb al-Tahrir pose a threat both to Jerusalem and to Baku. Israeli analysts also argue that some Wahhabi organizations may be operating in Azerbaijan. 46 Security cooperation between the two countries has entailed intelligence exchanges, data analysis (including satellite information), briefings, and other activities. Israel also trains Azerbaijani security and intelligence services and provides security for the Azeri president on foreign visits. Some sources also report that Israel has set up electronic listening stations along the Caspian Sea and Iranian border. 47
Israel's next priority is to counter the Iranian intelligence network in Azerbaijan and in other Muslim countries of the CIS. Iran has attempted to expand its political influence to its immediate neighbors as well as to intensify intelligence operations, particularly in Azerbaijan. According to Azerbaijani media reports, the national security services have arrested 22 people who were sent by Iran to carry out terrorist attacks against the U.S. and Israeli embassies, as well as against Western-linked groups and companies in Baku. In February 2012, the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security announced the arrest of a terrorist group allegedly working for Iran's secret services. In January 2012, Azerbaijan's secret service arrested two people accused of plotting to kill two teachers at a Jewish school in Baku. In 2007, Azerbaijan arrested 15 people in connection with an alleged Iranian-linked spy network accused of providing intelligence on Western and Israeli activities. 48
and beneficial for both Baku and Jerusalem. The failure of the Azerbaijani-Israeli alliance to work together to counter Iran would be irresponsible and would have unpredictable consequences for Baku and Jerusalem. Tehran's attempts to expand its Shi’i and Iranian ideology could have a catastrophic impact on
Azerbaijan's potential to be an independent and strong American ally in the region. It is clear that the fall of secular Azerbaijan would badly damage Israel's security and America's strategic interests. Moreover, this would strengthen Iran and create a totally new balance of power in the Greater Middle East, particularly in the South Caucasus and Caspian basin, as well as in Central Asia. Last, Azerbaijani energy is a critical factor in Israel's strategic calculations. In 2011, Azerbaijan exported as much as to 2.5 million tons (about 18.5 million barrels) of oil with total worth of $2.1 billon to Israel. Last year trade turnover between Israel and Azerbaijan reached $4 billion, making Azerbaijan Israel's top trade partner within CIS countries. 49 According to Ariel Cohen, Israel "... can benefit from projects designed to bring Caspian and Central Asian oil and gas to Western markets as they allow Israel to diversify supply and receive abundant energy at affordable price." 50
Israeli-Azerbaijani energy cooperation has clearly become an extremely important Israeli-Azerbaijani Alliance and Iran
Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Spring 2013) 65 factor for Israel's energy security. This cooperation allows for the diversification of supplies of oil and gas and for exploration of Israel's energy resources. Baku provides Jerusalem with over one-third of Israel's oil supply.
51 As a result of former Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman's April 2012 visit to Baku, SOCAR will start drilling in Med Ashdod, Israel's oil field, located 16 kilometers off the Mediterranean coast. The Israeli Ambassador to Baku, Michael Lotem said, “The drilling will begin soon. The work is at a very advanced stage and delivery of a drilling rig to the field is now expected. 52 The project is SOCAR’s first oil-production or drilling operation outside of Azerbaijan. The contract allows SOCAR to gain international experience and expand its operations in Turkey, Georgia, Israel, and other countries.
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