Baku’s Close Ties with Israel and Hijab Ban in Azerbaijan Fuel Tensions with

▲Turkish protesters carrying signs of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, decrying the hijab ban (Haksoz Haber photo)

Azerbaijan’s Ruling Party, Headed by Aliyev, Criticizes Turkey

The New Azerbaijan Party, led by President Ilham Aliyev, on Tuesday accused Turkey of stoking artificial tensions between the two countries, over a new law that went into effect this week in Azerbaijan banning the wearing of hijabs in primary schools. The party also told Ankara to respect Baku’s ties with Israel.

Tensions have been simmering between the two allied nations, which have proudly been flying under the motto of “One Nation, two states,” for decades, as Ankara has stepped up its criticism of Baku over the hijab ban and increasing opposition in Turkey over Azerbaijan’s close ties to Israel—currently Turkey’s sworn enemy.

The New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) singled out Turkish chief presidential adviser Oktay Saral and other officials from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), who had opposed the ban in social media posts, the Middle East Eye newspaper reported.

The YAP said Turkish media outlets close to the AKP government were publishing reports about Azerbaijan that were “contrary to the facts” and warned that relations between the two countries could suffer.

Saral said on Monday that denying students wearing headscarves access to education in Azerbaijan was unacceptable and called on Baku to reverse the practice. His comments came after footage of Azerbaijani students crying and protesting outside schools went viral on Turkish social media, putting pressure on Ankara to criticize the decision.

Baku arrested at least 37 people for protesting against the hijab ban on Monday, accusing them of violating public order. The government also reportedly cut access to social media platforms such as X, TikTok and Instagram on the same day.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, criticized headscarf ban without naming a country, and on October 3, Turkish protesters gathered in front of the Azerbaijani consulate in Istanbul.

As early as September 26, an Azerbaijani parliamentary committee characterized criticism from Turkey as an organized anti-Azerbaijani campaign, while the broadcasting council did not rule out banning the entry of those behind it, Radar Armenia reported on Tuesday.

In addition to the hijab ban, Turks are increasingly frustrated with Baku’s close ties to Israel, with many flooding social media with criticism of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s decision not to leave the United Nations hall during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the General Assembly last month triggered a wave of negative commentary about Baku.

The YAP retorted that Azerbaijan’s relationship with Israel was based on international law and mutual interests. It also reiterated its support for the Palestinian people, noting that Baku had provided financial and humanitarian assistance to Palestine.

At the YAP conference in Baku on October 2, Aliyev fired some shots, disguised as his message for the future of Azerbaijan. He criticized unnamed actors for interfering in Azerbaijan’s domestic affairs.

“Everyone should know their place; they should not interfere in our affairs, stick their noses into our way of life, or tell us what to do. Everyone should mind their own nation and state,” Aliyev said.

He added that Baku did not need anyone’s help or patronage. He said Azerbaijan had received no assistance when it had to care for a million refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, which was under Armenian control until a few years ago.

“We paid for everything we acquired. This includes all the weapons we purchased — right down to the last bullet — at global market prices,” he said. “We were not granted a discount of even a single manat or dollar. In fact, at times, we were charged prices many times higher than global market rates, and we were forced to turn a blind eye to it.”

It is a fact that Turkey was Azerbaijan’s leading backer during the Artsakh war in 2020. Ankara provided drones, arms and ammunition, deployed F-16s and recruited ISIS Mujaheddin to help Baku win the war.

Some commenters in Baku have said that Aliyev has become increasingly sensitive over Erdogan and others in Ankara taking credit for the so-called “victory” in 2020.