Israel Shores Up Relations with Muslim Azerbaijan; Signs $1.6 Billion Arms Deal

Proving the Mideast adage that “an enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Israel is shoring up relations with Azerbaijan, a Muslim nation stepping in where Turkey once stood as the Jewish state’s bridge to the Islamic world. The catalyst is Azerbaijan’s neighbor Iran and the obvious intelligence foothold the blossoming relationship holds for Israel. On Sunday, Israeli officials confirmed a $1.6 billion arms deal that will see drone pilot-less aircraft, anti-missile and anti-aircraft systems sent to Baku. Iran recently accused Azerbaijan of allowing operatives of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service to operate within its territory, suggesting that its neighbor served as the staging area for missions attributed to Israel that resulted in the deaths of several nuclear scientists. Israel denies the claim.