As tens of thousands of Armenian separatists flee Nagorno-Karabakh to the safety of Armenian territories, concerns about potential ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan loom large. In recent days, the Azerbaijani military launched a blitz operation that wrested control of the disputed territory. Against this backdrop, Israel and Azerbaijan are deepening their ties, driven by their successful security and financial partnerships.

The Azerbaijani forces have been equipped with an extensive arsenal, which inadvertently showcases Israel's prowess in the arms industry. Over the past two decades, Israel has reportedly supplied the Azeri military with advanced weaponry worth billions of dollars. These include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Israeli Aerospace Industries, Aeronautics' Orbiter, and Elbit Systems' Hermes 900. Additionally, the Azeri army boasts anti-tank Spike missiles from Rafael, precision surface-to-surface missiles known as Laura, and forthcoming Israeli-produced spy satellites for their security infrastructure.

This op-ed supporting ethnic cleansing appeared in the pro-Bibi rag Israel Hayom. The author says, "I see many parallels between Azerbaijan reclaiming all of Karabakh today and Israel reclaiming Judea and Samaria in 1967." The horror of the Israeli right. https://t.co/40T1471znm

— Shaiel Ben-Ephraim (@academic_la) October 1, 2023

Foreign sources suggest that Israel's generous arms support has secured it rare and nearly unrestricted access to the extensive border shared by Azerbaijan and Iran. Reports from the past have even claimed that Israel maintains intelligence bases within Azerbaijan. Notably, it is alleged that the Mossad operation to acquire the Iranian nuclear archive in 2018 involved smuggling it through Azerbaijan before it reached Israel.

While Israeli defense companies often tout their global deals, they maintain a conspicuous silence regarding their robust connections with Azerbaijan, often referred to as a "reliable and punctual customer." Even in the financial reports of companies like Elbit Systems and the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), references to their active involvement with the Shiite dictatorship in the Caucasus are notably absent, despite it being a major export destination.

In their financial disclosures, Elbit and the Aerospace Industry combine sales to Azerbaijan with their sales to other Asian countries. For instance, between June 2022 and June 2023, Elbit's sales to Asia, excluding those to Israel, accounted for a staggering $1.9 billion out of their total sales of $5.15 billion. This figure significantly surpasses their sales to the European continent during the same period, where the demand for weaponry has surged due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Does Israel's solidarity with Azerbaijan affect your view of Israel? 🇮🇱🇦🇿 pic.twitter.com/305aZpZSsw

— Daily Turkic (@DailyTurkic) September 22, 2023

However, as this complex relationship continues to grow, driven by mutual security and financial interests, some within Israel are beginning to question their association with a nation often perceived as an aggressor. In practical terms, this relationship is crucial for Israeli security in the face of Iranian hostility. However, if the partnership is perceived as a choice between two unfavorable options, many Israelis feel the urge to completely disengage from such dealings.