Israel’s oil import policy following the wars in Ukraine and Gaza

This study analyzes how Israel’s oil import policy adapted to regional trade disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war since 2022 and the Israel-Gaza war since 2023. It points to three key strategies that Israel took to reduce its reliance on Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia as its main oil suppliers, and on Turkey as its main oil transit corridor. These strategies included strengthening ties with African oil producers, revisiting oil transit agreements with the Arab Gulf states through the Abraham Accords, and accelerating the transition to clean energy technologies to reduce domestic oil demand. The study’s findings challenge conventional views of small states as passive players in international energy markets by highlighting how Israel leveraged its diplomatic relations, advanced arms industry, and technological expertise to secure vital energy supplies despite geopolitical constraints. However, the study also points to broader ethical and diplomatic concerns that these strategies create, such as the trade of arms for oil and its effect on Israel’s international image.