Israel recognizes Armenian genocide, deepening clash with Turkey

Israel has taken a historic step by formally recognizing the Armenian genocide, a move that dramatically alters its foreign policy and deepens a diplomatic rift with Turkey. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unanimously approved the recognition on Sunday, a definition Israel had long avoided to preserve its strategic relationship with Ankara.

The decision, announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, still requires approval from the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar championed the initiative as a matter of moral and historical duty. "It is never too late to do the right thing," he stated, according to an official release. The Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem reportedly reacted with strong emotion to the news.

Previously, successive Israeli governments had refrained from officially acknowledging the genocide, primarily to avoid jeopardizing ties with Turkey. However, this political calculation shifted significantly amid a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations and repeated clashes between Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ankara's response was swift and sharp. Turkey's Foreign Ministry labeled Israel's decision as "political" and an attempt to "cover up its own crimes." The statement asserted that the Israeli government, "which has systematically persecuted the Palestinian people... and is being tried in the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide against the population of Gaza, seeks to cover up its own crimes through the political decision it has adopted with respect to the events of 1915."

While Erdogan did not directly address the recognition, he reiterated accusations against Israel regarding the war in Gaza, declaring, "A genocide has been committed in Gaza. Without a doubt, we will hold them accountable for it." The Israeli recognition also follows recent public praise from former U.S. President Donald Trump for Erdogan's stance during the conflict with Iran, and a suggestion of potentially unblocking F-35 fighter jet sales to Turkey.