Armenian lobby in the U.S. launches campaign against Azerbaijan over Gaza mission speculation

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has led a coalition that launched an information campaign against Azerbaijan in U.S. media, using speculation about a possible peacekeeping mission in Gaza.

In a statement published by Politico, the coalition claimed that Azerbaijan’s close partnership with Israel allegedly “creates a conflict of interest” and prevents Baku from acting as a neutral party in the Gaza conflict.

“Israel’s role as a key supplier of advanced AI-based military technology, along with the countries’ close cooperation in intelligence and security, raises doubts about whether Baku would act independently or as a proxy for the Israel Defense Forces,” the statement said.

Analysts dismissed the claims as politically motivated and groundless, noting that no official mandate has been defined for any potential peacekeeping mission in Gaza. Even possible participants such as Indonesia have emphasized that any deployment could only occur under a UN Security Council resolution, which remains highly unlikely given current geopolitical tensions.

Experts added that even if such a mission were established, peacekeepers would not be authorized to use force against either side, as no international peacekeeping mandate allows for such actions.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Eric Cooper visited Baku several weeks ago and met with President Ilham Aliyev, reportedly discussing possible regional cooperation. However, Azerbaijani officials have since clarified that the country could join a peacekeeping mission only after a complete ceasefire is achieved in Gaza.

Hamas, meanwhile, continues to resist disarmament, while Israel maintains military operations — making progress to the second stage of the “Trump Peace Plan” currently impossible.