Azerbaijan to open embassy in Israel, the first Muslim Shi’ite country to do so Hailing move, PM Lapid touts the ‘depth of the relationship’ between the countries

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev speaks during a news conference at the Palace of Brigades in Tirana, Albania, Nov. 15, 2022 (AP Photo/Franc Zhurda)

The Azerbaijani parliament on Friday approved a proposal to open an embassy in Israel.

The historic decision will make Azerbaijan the first Shi’ite Muslim country to open an embassy in the Jewish state.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid welcomed the move, saying “Azerbaijan is an important partner of Israel and home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the Muslim world.

“The decision to open an embassy reflects the depth of the relationship between our countries. This move is the result of the Israeli government’s efforts to build strong diplomatic bridges with the Muslim world,” he said.

“The Azeri people… will now be represented for the first time in the State of Israel,” he added.

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