If all this is taken under consideration, then it behooves the international community, led by the United States, Russia, and Israel, to seek a resolution or a plausible armistice agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. A new regional war in the South Caucasus, reverberating across the Middle East and the Greater Caucasus range, would be catastrophic to all parties involved. More specifically, Israel has a serious decision to make about the sale and use of its sophisticated weapons to Azerbaijan. Put simply, Israel’s national security is better served by maintaining warm and good relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Otherwise, Israel may be committing a strategic mistake at a time its regional reach and influence is unprecedented.

Robert G. Rabil is a professor of political science at Florida Atlantic University. He is the author of books including Syria, the United States, and the War on Terror in the Middle East; Salafism in Lebanon: From Apoliticism to Transnational Jihadism; and the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Lebanon. His views are his own. He can be reached @robertgrabil.

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