Herzog and Baku
Israeli President Isaac Herzog met Wednesday with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Bahrain’s foreign minister in a series of high-level diplomatic talks aimed at strengthening Israel’s strategic partnerships and expanding regional cooperation.
The meetings took place in Baku, where Herzog arrived for a day-and-a-half visit to participate in the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, an international forum promoting dialogue, security, and cooperation across Asia.
According to Azerbaijan’s presidential office, Herzog and Aliyev met at the presidential palace to discuss bilateral relations, regional developments, and ways to deepen cooperation.
“Israel and Azerbaijan share a unique relationship, one that has been developed over many years and has proven its importance in complex times as well,” Herzog said.
He thanked Aliyev for the partnership between their countries and praised Azerbaijan as a model of stability and an important voice in international affairs.
The two presidents also discussed regional security and their shared commitment to stability.
Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country bordering Iran, has emerged as one of Israel’s important strategic partners.
Their relationship includes extensive energy and defense cooperation, with Azerbaijan supplying oil to Israel and purchasing Israeli military equipment.
The partnership also carries geopolitical significance because of Azerbaijan’s proximity to Iran, Israel’s principal regional adversary.
Herzog congratulated Aliyev on Azerbaijan’s leadership of the conference and the extension of its chairmanship for the 2026-2028 term, describing the decision as a reflection of international confidence in Baku’s diplomatic role.
In a separate diplomatic encounter, Herzog met Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani to discuss relations between Israel and the Gulf kingdom and the importance of the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords.
The meeting came as Israel’s relations with Bahrain have faced strains since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza.
Herzog described the encounter as “excellent” and emphasized the importance of the Abraham Accords in promoting security, stability and prosperity throughout the Middle East.
He also praised Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for his leadership and reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to maintaining strong relations with the kingdom.
Bahrain normalized diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, an initiative championed by President Donald Trump during his first administration.
The agreements also established diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, while Sudan began a normalization process that has not been fully completed.
Relations between Israel and Bahrain came under additional strain in November 2023, when Bahrain’s lower house of parliament announced that the kingdom’s ambassador had returned home and that economic ties with Israel had been suspended.
However, the parliamentary announcement did not constitute a formal government decision to sever diplomatic relations. Bahrain’s government did not formally confirm a break in ties, and Israel said it had received no official notification of an ambassadorial recall.
Herzog’s meeting with Al-Zayani offered a public indication that the two countries continue to engage diplomatically despite tensions over the Gaza war.
Herzog is scheduled to address the summit’s plenary session Thursday and hold additional bilateral meetings with leaders attending the gathering.
Before returning to Israel, he is also scheduled to meet with representatives of Azerbaijan’s Jewish community, highlighting the longstanding historical and cultural connections between the two countries.
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