Why Did Israeli PM Postpone His Azerbaijan Visit?

Jerusalem, May 4 (NationPress) The planned visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Azerbaijan has been postponed, according to a statement from his office.

Netanyahu's visit was initially set to commence on Wednesday and span five days, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

"Considering the recent developments in the Gaza Strip and Syria, along with an intense political and security agenda, Prime Minister Netanyahu has opted to delay his trip to Azerbaijan until a later date," stated the announcement on Saturday.

"The Prime Minister expresses gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the invitation and values the cordial relations between the two nations."

Nonetheless, Israeli media, including Walla, indicated that the cancellation is primarily due to Turkey's refusal to permit Netanyahu's plane to traverse its airspace en route to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

Sources close to Netanyahu revealed that his office had considered alternative flight paths, but those routes would have nearly doubled the travel time, leading to the decision to cancel.

Reports suggest that there was contemplation of flying over Greece and Bulgaria as an alternative, but those plans were ultimately scrapped due to increased flight duration.

This is not the first instance where Turkey's deteriorating relations with Israel have interrupted the travel plans of senior officials.

In November 2024, President Isaac Herzog canceled his visit to the UN COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan at the last moment, citing "security considerations" as the reason.

However, it was suggested that Turkey's refusal for flight passage was the actual cause.

Direct flights from Israel to Azerbaijan are limited, as most routes necessitate flying over Turkey or, alternatively, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023, the relationship between Israel and Turkey has soured, resulting in the reciprocation of ambassadors and the disruption of trade relations.

The Israeli security cabinet is set to meet on Sunday to vote on military strategies approved by Netanyahu.

In Syria, Israel has conducted numerous strikes against military targets since forces led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa overthrew long-time leader Bashar Al-Assad in December. Following this upheaval, Israel deployed troops into the demilitarized zone separating the two nations due to potential threats.

Israel has also committed to protecting Druze communities in Syria from attacks by both jihadists and government forces.

Netanyahu was slated to depart for Azerbaijan on May 7 and return on May 11. He was scheduled to meet with Aliyev to discuss negotiations between Turkey and Israel concerning Syria, mediated by Azerbaijan.

They were also expected to explore plans to formally integrate Azerbaijan into the Abraham Accord framework and enhance bilateral relations, including trilateral ties with the US.

Azerbaijan borders Israel’s primary adversary, Iran, and access to this border is perceived as crucial for Israel's operations against Iran's nuclear ambitions. Tehran has repeatedly voiced concerns that Azerbaijan could be a launching point for potential Israeli strikes.

Nonetheless, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian visited Azerbaijan earlier this week, indicating a potential warming of relations.

Relations have been tense for years, primarily due to Baku's strong ties with Israel and a January 2023 attack on Azerbaijan's embassy in Tehran.

In a recent display of improving relations, Iran and Azerbaijan conducted two days of joint naval exercises in the Caspian Sea in November, as reported by Iranian media.