Turkey and Israel on the brink of war: Could Azerbaijan intervene?

The growing tensions between Israel and Turkey over clashing interests in Syria have raised the possibility of another military confrontation in the Middle East. Attempts by both sides to protect their security and geopolitical interests in Syria are further straining the already sensitive relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv.

At the same time, questions remain as to whether a possible escalation could turn into a direct military confrontation and how realistic Azerbaijan’s potential mediation role would be under the circumstances.

Speaking to TodayPress TV, Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament Hikmat Babaoglu said that although escalations between the sides had occurred at various stages, the possibility of these tensions turning into a direct military conflict was virtually nonexistent.

The MP attributed this view to the historical and geostrategic ties between the two peoples:

“Various escalations between Turkey and Israel are possible at different stages, but the likelihood of these escalations developing into a confrontation or war is extremely low, or virtually impossible. First of all, these peoples lived within the same state, in the territory of the Ottoman Empire, for centuries. Jews who were subjected to various forms of persecution at different stages of world history sought refuge in the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey and migrated to their territories. Jews fleeing persecution in Spain, Germany, Mussolini’s fascism and the Austro-Hungarian Empire always found security and prosperity in the lands of the Turks. The Jewish people have not forgotten this and never will. Therefore, a war between these two states is impossible.”

The MP also touched upon the emerging new landscape in the Middle East and the historical realities of the region:

“At present, as a new geostrategic architecture is taking shape in the Middle East, there is no doubt that the region’s pieces have been shifted. It will take some time for them to settle into place, and tensions between countries during this process are natural. On the other hand, the territory of Palestine — the land historically known as Canaan — is such a place that there have always been wars there and there always will be.”

The parliamentarian stressed that Azerbaijan’s role as a mediator in bringing the sides back to the negotiating table and reducing tensions could once again come to the fore. He recalled that, at various times, Azerbaijan had made successful efforts to bring Turkey and Israel closer together.

“Sometimes these efforts have been very effective, sometimes somewhat less so, but ultimately the tensions were resolved. We do not wish for such tensions to arise again, but if they do, Azerbaijan’s strong relations with both strategic partner countries will provide a solid foundation for the sides to reach common ground,” Hikmat Babaoglu concluded.

It should be noted that tensions between Turkey and Israel sharply increased after Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur air base in northwestern Syria on August 18, 2026. Israel justified the attack by claiming that Turkey was planning to deploy forces at the base. However, Turkey and Syria rejected the claim, calling Israel’s position unfounded.

Turkan Isgandarli