The decision by SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state oil company, to press ahead with a gas exploration license in Israeli waters marks another significant step in the ever-deepening partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan. In addition to the economic opportunity it provides to discover new gas, the involvement of SOCAR carries significant strategic weight in a region where energy projects can forge new ties or rekindle old rivalries. SOCAR’s role as the project’s operator may facilitate a more stable multilateral energy framework in the Eastern Mediterranean due to Azerbaijan’s close relations with Turkey, which enable it to serve as a mediator. Azerbaijan’s involvement may also offer Israel a viable route for future gas exports to Turkey that buffers the volatile relations between Jerusalem and Ankara, mirroring the current oil trade arrangements between the sides.