Azerbaijan is working behind the scenes to ease tensions between Israel and Turkey, Israeli sources confirm, after a week marked by an Israeli strike on a base in Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning to Ankara and Turkey’s arrest warrant and Interpol red notice request against the Israeli leader.
Alongside Azerbaijan’s efforts to reduce tensions with Turkey, Axios reported Sunday afternoon that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met Mossad chief Roman Gofman after the strike on the Syrian base. Sources familiar with the matter said the meeting went well.
Shaibani told Reuters on Sunday that contacts with Israel were suspended after the strike, but said Damascus expects negotiations with Israel over a security agreement to resume soon.
“Syria currently does not trust Israel, but it is extending its hand to diplomacy and calling on Israel to seize the historic opportunity,” he said.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev initiated direct dialogue between Israel and Turkey in April 2025. At the time, a Turkish delegation led by National Intelligence Organization chief Ibrahim Kalin and an Israeli delegation led by then-national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi held meetings in Baku under Aliyev’s auspices. Those talks resulted in the establishment of an operational coordination mechanism between the two countries in Syria, which functioned effectively for an extended period.
Gallery
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who initiated direct dialogue between Turkey and Israel
(Photo: Tobias Schwarz/ AFP)
Spokesperson for Israel’s Public Diplomacy Directorate
(Video: Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson)
Now, efforts appear to be underway to revive that mechanism and renew direct dialogue in an attempt to prevent miscalculation that could lead to escalation.
A source familiar with the matter said Azerbaijani officials are deeply concerned by the deterioration in relations between Israel and Turkey, both of which are close partners of Baku. “Have you and Turkey lost your minds? You are our friends, and Turkey is our friend too,” an Azerbaijani official said. “What are we supposed to do if, God forbid, you start fighting? That is why it is important to reduce the tensions immediately.”
US envoy Tom Barrack
(Photo: Anwar Amro / AFP)
The United States is also working behind the scenes to reduce tensions, but there is pronounced distrust in Israel toward U.S. envoy Tom Barrack. His comments in an interview on Friday prompted an unusual response from Defense Minister Israel Katz over the weekend.
That leaves Azerbaijan in a particularly useful position. Baku enjoys the trust of both Israel and Turkey and has previously demonstrated that it can bridge gaps between them. Azerbaijan is already sending humanitarian assistance to Syria, supports normalization there and sees the country as having significant energy potential.
As a result, Baku has a clear strategic interest in preventing a confrontation between Israel and Turkey and in restoring the coordination mechanisms that previously helped keep friction in Syria under control.
First published: 17:39, 08.23.26