Azerbaijan backs Palestinian statehood as Aliyev meets PM Mustafa

Azerbaijan backs Palestinian statehood as Aliyev meets PM Mustafa
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan met with Prime Minister of the State of Palestine Mohammad Mustafa, Baku, 16 July, 2026.
Azertag

President Ilham Aliyev has reaffirmed Azerbaijan's support for an independent Palestinian state during talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Baku on Wednesday (15 July).

According to the Azerbaijani presidency, Aliyev said Azerbaijan supports the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital. The president said he was confident Mustafa's visit would help strengthen what he described as the fraternal ties between the two sides.

Mustafa conveyed greetings from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and thanked Azerbaijan for its continued political and humanitarian support. He also expressed hope that Palestine would overcome its current challenges with the backing of friendly countries.

The meeting also highlighted several initiatives undertaken by Azerbaijan in support of Palestinians, including educational programmes, humanitarian assistance and diplomatic engagement.

Longstanding ties between Azerbaijan and Palestine

Relations between Azerbaijan and Palestine have been shaped by political support in international organisations and cooperation through the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Azerbaijan has consistently backed a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has repeatedly voiced support for Palestinian statehood in international forums. The Palestinian leadership, including President Mahmoud Abbas, has maintained regular contact with Azerbaijani officials, with several high-level meetings taking place over the years.

Baku has also extended diplomatic support to Palestine through its continued backing of the Palestinian embassy in Baku. According to officials, these efforts reflect the close political relationship between the two sides.

How Azerbaijan has supported Palestine

During Wednesday's meeting, both sides highlighted several areas of Azerbaijani support:

  • Azerbaijan allocated $5 million in financial assistance following the 2013 Conference on the Establishment of the Islamic Financial Safety Net and the Donors' Conference for the Development of Al Quds Al Sharif.
  • Azerbaijan continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
  • The Azerbaijani government has committed to building a school for 600 students in Nablus as part of its humanitarian support programme.
  • Palestinian students have been granted access to education in Azerbaijan through the Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant Programme. Officials said 23 Palestinian students are currently studying under the scheme, while the total number of Palestinian students in Azerbaijan has reached 37.
  • Since the escalation of the conflict in 2023, Azerbaijan has provided $2 million in humanitarian assistance to help address the humanitarian needs of Palestinians, according to Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
Looking ahead

The two sides also discussed expanding economic cooperation, including the export of selected Palestinian agricultural products to Azerbaijan on preferential terms.

With the humanitarian situation in Palestine remaining severe, the meeting underscored Azerbaijan's intention to continue combining political backing with humanitarian and educational assistance while pursuing closer bilateral cooperation with the Palestinian Authority.

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