Israel moves to formally recognize Armenian WWI deaths as a genocide

Israel's Cabinet has unanimously approved a proposal to formally designate the violence against Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide. This significant step, while still needing parliamentary approval, underscores the deepening rift between Israel and Turkey.

For years, Israel refrained from officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide, largely to avoid antagonizing Turkey, a former ally. However, relations have significantly soured over the past two decades, particularly in recent years amid ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. This shift has paved the way for Israel to reconsider its stance on the historical events.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who presented the proposal, stated that "Despite the extensive and unambiguous historical documentation, the Armenian Genocide remains to this day the subject of an institutionalized campaign of denial and minimization, including a manipulative rewriting of history, mainly by the Turkish government." He emphasized that it is "never too late to do the right thing," calling the recognition a "moral and historical duty."

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Despite the extensive and unambiguous historical documentation, the Armenian Genocide remains to this day the subject of an institutionalized campaign of denial and minimization, including a manipulative rewriting of history, mainly by the Turkish government.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed around World War I, an event widely considered the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey vehemently denies these events constitute genocide, asserting that casualty figures are inflated and that the deaths resulted from civil war and unrest. Saar noted that 32 countries, including the United States, Syria, and Lebanon, have already classified the violence as genocide.

The decision comes as Israel itself faces accusations of genocide in its offensive in Gaza, which it denies. The Israeli government, founded in the wake of the Holocaust, has strongly refuted these claims, labeling a recent UN-commissioned report as a "libelous sham."

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It is never too late to do the right thing.