Turkey Watches Growing Israel-Azerbaijan Alignment With Deep Concern
Retired Turkish Admiral Cihat Yaycı warned that growing military and diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Israel pose a strategic challenge to Ankara, urging Baku to remain cautious.
Turkey views the deepening strategic alignment between Azerbaijan and Israel with growing unease, according to retired Admiral Cihat Yaycı. In a comprehensive interview with the Turkish YouTube channel GZT, the prominent strategist analyzed the complex geopolitical triangle linking Ankara, Baku, and Jerusalem, warning of potential regional ramifications.
Yaycı pointed to Azerbaijan's profound sense of gratitude toward Israel for its substantial military support during the Nagorno-Karabakh war. He specifically highlighted the influential lobbying efforts undertaken by the 'Aziz' association of Azerbaijani-Turkish Jews in Israel, the United States, Europe, and Russia, which he credited with bolstering Baku's diplomatic standing during the conflict.
However, the retired admiral cautioned that an overreliance on Jerusalem poses strategic risks for Turkey's traditional hegemony and influence in the region. He warned that if the historic alliance between Ankara and Baku weakens, Israel risks filling the geopolitical vacuum to Turkey's strategic detriment.
Addressing potential regional escalations involving Iran, Yaycı expressed concern that external actors might manipulate Baku into a direct confrontation with Tehran. He warned that such a scenario could lead to the fragmentation of Iran while destabilizing Azerbaijan's national security through the potential infiltration of Kurdish separatist elements and extremist organizations.
Concluding his remarks, Yaycı defended Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev against domestic Turkish criticism regarding trade ties with Israel, highlighting what he termed the double standards of domestic protesters who refrain from targeting major Western powers like the United States.
