Israel and Turkey's friend on the verge of an explosion: will severely damage relations

The historic alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan has fallen into a sharp crisis over the ban on the hijab in Azerbaijani schools and Baku's ties with Israel. Azerbaijan's ruling party sharply attacked Ankara and warned of harm to bilateral relations. In Ankara they tried to calm things down, but in Baku they make clear they will not accept patronage.

The historic alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan, known as 'one nation, two states', has fallen into a sharp crisis. According to a report on the Middle East Eye website, Azerbaijan's ruling party sharply attacked Ankara and accused media outlets close to the Turkish government of publishing reports that do not match the facts. The background to the crisis: the ban on the hijab in Azerbaijani schools and Baku's close ties with Israel. In the party's statement it was stressed that Azerbaijan is a secular state according to its constitution, and that no country in the Islamic world has the right to dictate its will or intervene in its internal affairs, in a thick hint at President Erdogan's hegemonic ambitions. The statement also referred to the slogan of former President Heydar Aliyev, and made clear that the principle does not erase sovereignty: it is one nation but two independent states. Official sources in Ankara tried to calm things down and claimed it was a misunderstanding, but in Baku they make clear they will not accept patronage.