On Sunday, the Israeli government unanimously voted to formally recognize the Armenian genocide that occurred during World War I. This decision is widely seen as a reprimand to Turkey and a signal of the growing rift between the two nations, according to reports from AFP, Le Monde, and Politico.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced, “A historic decision: the Israeli government has unanimously approved the proposal for the recognition of the Armenian genocide.” However, this decision requires parliamentary ratification to be fully enacted.
Saar emphasized the ongoing denial and minimization of the genocide, stating, “Despite extensive and unambiguous diplomatic documentation, the Armenian genocide remains a subject of an institutionalized campaign of denial and manipulative historical rewriting, primarily by the Turkish government.” He added, “It is widely believed that the Ottoman Empire systematically committed crimes equivalent to genocide with the aim of destroying the Armenian people.”
Strained Relations Between Israel and Turkey
Previous Israeli administrations had avoided formally recognizing the Armenian genocide to maintain relations with Turkey, which was once a close strategic partner in the region. However, relations have soured significantly following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, initiated by Israel in response to Hamas’s attacks in October 2023. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions, frequently comparing Israeli leaders to Nazis. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to Erdogan as an “antisemitic dictator committing genocide against the Kurds.”
Turkey has suspended most of its trade with Israel and has become one of the leading diplomatic supporters of the Palestinian movement Hamas.
Turkey Denies Genocide Accusations
Armenians seek international recognition of the mass killings targeting their people during the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1917 as genocide. Armenians claim that 1.5 million people died during this period, but Turkey vehemently denies the genocide accusations, asserting that both Armenians and Turks suffered casualties due to World War I. Over 20 countries, including the United States, France, and Germany, have recognized these crimes as genocide.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden acknowledged the Armenian genocide, a stance long desired by Baku from Washington. However, the current U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has refrained from using that specific terminology.
While there are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey, both sides have shown interest in warming ties in recent years.
