Israel's cabinet unanimously approves recognition of Armenian genocide, escalating tensions with Turkey

Cabinet decision

The Israeli government on Sunday unanimously approved a resolution proposed by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar that officially recognises the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide. Saar announced the plan on 26 June and said it was a "moral and historical duty." The resolution will next go to the Knesset for a final vote, although no date has been set.

This horrible genocide, which took place more than 100 years ago and whose historical facts are no longer disputed, claimed the lives of 1.5 million people and destroyed an ancient cultural and historical heritage.

Saar added that Israel joins 32 other countries that have recognised the genocide, including the United States, Syria and Lebanon.

Turkish reaction

Turkey, the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, immediately condemned the decision as "malicious" and said it was aimed at covering up Israel's own actions in Gaza. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said:

The Israeli government, which systematically oppresses the Palestinian people before the eyes of the entire world and is being tried at the International Court of Justice for genocide against the people of Gaza, wants to cover up its own crimes with the political decision taken on the events of 1915.

Ankara does not deny that Armenian civilians died, but says the deaths were not part of an extermination plan and resulted from civil war, disease and famine during World War I.

Historical recognition

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians perished in the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1918, with some sources extending the period to 1923. The events are widely regarded as the first systematic genocide of the modern era. Multiple international bodies, including the Vatican, the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches, have formally recognised it. In the United States, 43 states have done so.

Israel-Turkey tensions

The decision comes amid a deep rift between Israel and Turkey that has intensified since the war in Gaza erupted in October 2023. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians and is a vocal supporter of Hamas. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have in the past described the Armenian killings as genocide but had previously refrained from official recognition to avoid alienating Turkey, a onetime ally.

An activist from the Armenian community in Jerusalem questioned the timing. Hagop Djernazian called the move opportunistic, noting that Israel had for years blocked similar initiatives. Still, Saar thanked Netanyahu and the cabinet for their unanimous support, saying "It is never too late to do the right thing."