Armenia is getting closer to Israel – the Armenian lobby in the US is doing everything to torpedo it

Under the radar, a two-fold and convoluted diplomatic struggle has recently been going on: while the Armenian government is carefully trying to break years of stagnation and warm relations with Israel, the Armenian lobby in the United States is operating in an independent and belligerent line that could disrupt everything, thus de facto helping Iran’s interests in the region. This rift floated to the surface around the issue of “the day after” in the Gaza Strip, when a coalition of 18 American organizations, led by ANCA, launched a frontal attack against the intention to involve the Azerbaijani army in the international force planned for the Strip.

The organizations claim that the security and intelligence proximity between Jerusalem and Baku makes the Azeris a biased force unable to act neutrally, and that the idea that the two armies would work side by side is absurd. The Armenian lobby even emphasizes the 2023 Karabakh war as proof that Baku is not worthy of peacekeeping missions, while the Azeri side points out that it is the one that liberated the enclave from Armenian occupation that lasted for 30 years.

This tension is not limited to the issue of multinational power. In recent times, the Armenian lobby in the US has become one of the factors leading a distinctly anti-Israel line, adopting extreme Palestinian positions and spreading messages reminiscent of those of Hamas. These organizations accuse Israel of “genocide” and demand an immediate end to American aid to Israel, an activity that deepens the gap between the official policy of the Armenian government and the extremist activities of the Armenian lobby overseas.

But precisely in the face of these torpedo attempts in Washington, the Jewish community in Azerbaijan decided not to remain obliged. In an official letter sent a few days ago to Rabbi Yehuda Kaplon, the new US special envoy for the fight against anti-Semitism, Rabbi Zamir Issev presented a completely different picture of the situation. Rabbi Issev, who serves as the rabbi of the Sephardic community in Baku, emphasizes in his letter that Azerbaijan is a rare global model of interfaith harmony. He points out that for hundreds of years Jews of all denominations have lived in the country as an integral and respected part of society, while maintaining their faith With full confidence, the Azeri model, he says, proves that honest dialogue and government support for minorities creates an environment where hatred has no fertile ground to grow.

This paradox puts Jerusalem in a complex situation: on the one hand, an aspiration to normalize relations with Armenia, which is still considered a strategic partner of Iran, and on the other hand, a need to preserve the strategic partnership with Baku. This is an ally that has proven loyal and is able to provide what Washington is looking for: a moderate and professional Muslim force to stabilize the Strip. While the Armenian lobby in the US works vigorously to torpedo these moves, the reality presented by the Jewish community in Baku reminds us that the facts on the ground are sometimes stronger than any political campaign.