Israel, Azerbaijan Sign Military and Security Deal

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz meeting with Azeri delegation (Israeli Defense Ministry)
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz meeting with Azeri delegation (Israeli Defense Ministry)
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Israel, Azerbaijan Sign Military and Security Deal

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz meeting with Azeri delegation (Israeli Defense Ministry)
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz meeting with Azeri delegation (Israeli Defense Ministry)

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz revealed he completed an unannounced visit to Azerbaijan, during which he met senior Azeri officials and signed several cooperation agreements in the military and security fields.

Gantz's spokesman said the visit occurred on Monday, and a high-ranking delegation accompanied him.

According to a defense source who was part of the delegation, Gantz was asked about the Palestinian situation and rejected all proposals to invade the West Bank in response to Palestinian operations.

He also rejected the idea attributed to Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi to send drones to assassinate armed Palestinian youths in Jenin.

Gantz sought calm with the Palestinians and was open about having direct relations with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, pointing out that they meet and try together to find realistic solutions to break the stalemate in the political situation.

He added that at the same time, the minister stated that he fights the Palestinians when they send “shooters and terrorists” to kill Israeli soldiers and settlers.

Gantz went on to underline the importance of maintaining strategic relations between the State of Israel and the Republic of Azerbaijan and reflecting on the changes that have taken place in the Middle East region after the signing of the Abraham Accords.

The spokesman also noted that senior officials discussed the development of Israel's ties with Turkey and other countries in the region and the world.

Gantz took advantage of his presence in a country neighboring Iran and told Israel Hayom's military correspondent, Yoav Limor, that Tel Aviv could respond to any development in Iran.

He added that the nuclear deal is not advancing but not terminated yet, asserting Israel's opposition to the agreement.

A senior source who accompanied Gantz said that Israel has good relations with Azerbaijan, as it is an essential Islamic country neighboring Iran and, like Israel, faces many hostile schemes from the leaders of the Tehran regime.

The source noted that Israel and Azerbaijan must coordinate to confront these schemes together, noting that the meetings revealed the two sides share the same vision towards many regional issues.

During the visit, Gantz also met with the Chief of the State Border Service, Colonel General Elchin Guliyev, and visited a State Border Service headquarters.

Last April, Israel's Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited Azerbaijan and was received by President Ilham Aliyev.

Lieberman also met Ministers of Finance and Economy and concluded agreements to expand economic relations, especially in oil import.

Azerbaijan pledged to supply Israel with oil if the global energy crisis was exacerbated due to the sanctions imposed by the West on Russia following the war in Ukraine.

In turn, Israel vowed to provide Azerbaijan with the experts and knowledge it needs to develop wheat cultivation, which is also witnessing a global shortage because of the war.



Israeli Security Services Arrest Israeli Man over Alleged Iranian-Backed Assassination Plot

File photo: Israeli police block a road leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Saturday. (Reuters)
File photo: Israeli police block a road leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Saturday. (Reuters)
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Israeli Security Services Arrest Israeli Man over Alleged Iranian-Backed Assassination Plot

File photo: Israeli police block a road leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Saturday. (Reuters)
File photo: Israeli police block a road leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Saturday. (Reuters)

Israeli security services said on Thursday they had arrested an Israeli citizen on suspicion of involvement in an Iranian-backed assassination plot targeting prominent people including the prime minister.
It said the person was a businessman with connections in Türkiye who had attended at least two meetings in Iran to discuss the possibility of assassinating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant or the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency.
The arrest took place last month, according to a joint statement by Shin Bet and the Israeli police that highlighted the intelligence war running alongside the escalating conflict on Israel's border with southern Lebanon.
Last week, Shin Bet uncovered what it said was a plot by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to assassinate a former senior defense official, who was subsequently identified as the former army Chief of Staff and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon.
The announcement of the arrest came a day after Hezbollah was hit for a second day by a sophisticated attack that detonated communications equipment remotely, killing at least 20 people and wounding more than 450.
Israel has not commented directly on the attack but multiple security sources have said it was undertaken by Israel's spy agency Mossad.