Day: April 23, 2025

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to travel soon on an official visit to Azerbaijan, Israel Hayom reports.

While the exact date of the trip has yet to be finalized, it is set to take place in the near future. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet in Baku with President Ilham Aliyev, with whom he shares a longstanding relationship marked by close cooperation.

The visit follows “technical talks” held in Baku two weeks ago between senior Israeli and Turkish delegations, aimed at preventing military friction between the two countries in Syrian territory. President Aliyev recently met separately with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syria’s new ruler, Ahmad al-Sharaa (al-Julani), making Netanyahu’s visit appear as a natural continuation of these diplomatic efforts.

Aliyev, who typically keeps his country’s international dealings and ties with Israel under wraps, recently made a rare public statement: “Both countries are close friends of Azerbaijan. We are allies with Turkey, and Israel is a friendly nation to Azerbaijan. Over many years, this mutual friendship has proven itself during difficult times for both countries. Therefore, the current tension between them is very concerning and a matter of great worry for us. As is well known, Azerbaijan played a modest role in facilitating the first successful reconciliation between Turkey and Israel in 2023.”