Israel's recognition of Armenian Genocide allows both nations to move forward, together - opinion

The Israeli government's recent unanimous decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide is hailed as a historic act of moral clarity that removes a long-standing burden from the relationship between Israel and Armenia. The author expresses gratitude and relief, emphasizing that this recognition, once permanently enshrined by the Knesset, will allow both nations to move forward beyond a moral question that should never have created division.

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It is a historic act of moral clarity which removes an unnecessary burden from the relationship between two ancient peoples whose histories have long echoed one another.

For years, the issue of the Armenian Genocide was championed by scholars, public intellectuals, civil society figures, and numerous Knesset members and ministers who understood its ethical weight. Prominent figures like Amos Oz, Haim Gouri, and former President Reuven Rivlin were among those who kept alive the conviction that recognition was both a moral and Jewish imperative. Despite this sustained advocacy, successive Israeli governments avoided formal recognition primarily due to geopolitical considerations, seeking to protect strategic, military, diplomatic, and intelligence ties with Turkey. In recent years, Azerbaijan's influence further complicated efforts to achieve recognition.

The author contends that this moment offers Israel an opportunity to align its state policy with the moral standards it often demands from others. It also serves to honor the generations of Israelis who have consistently argued for acknowledging historical truth. The campaign for denial, stretching back decades, faced obstacles even at international conferences, where Turkish pressure led to the exclusion of discussions on the Armenian Genocide.

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The Armenian Genocide was treated as a foreign-policy bargaining chip.

Efforts to keep the issue alive within Israel included persistent advocacy by Meretz leaders and repeated presentations to Knesset committees. Significant steps were taken over the years, such as debates in the Knesset, formal recognition by the Knesset Education Committee in 2016, and endorsements from Knesset Speakers. These developments built momentum toward official policy, culminating in the government's recent unanimous decision, which the author believes finally allows for a resolution of this overdue truth.

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Assuming the Knesset gives this recognition permanent expression, ensuring that it becomes not only the decision of one government but the settled position of the State of Israel, then Israel will have completed a long and honorable process.