On June 28, 2026, the Israeli government unanimously approved a proposal by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to recognize the massacres of Armenians during World War I as genocide. The decision is widely viewed as a rebuke to Turkiye, reflecting the deepening rift between the two countries since the Gaza war erupted after Hamas's attacks on Israel in October 2023.
Official Announcement and Parliamentary Ratification
The foreign ministry described the cabinet's decision as historic. The recognition must still be ratified by parliament. Saar stated at a cabinet meeting, according to a statement from his office, that the Armenian genocide remains subject to an institutionalized campaign of denial and minimization, including manipulative rewriting of history, mainly by the Turkish government. He added, 'I think the time has come for Israel, as a Jewish state, to formally accept this position … It is never too late to do the right thing... this is both a moral and historical duty.'
Strained Israel-Turkiye Relations
Successive Israeli governments had avoided formal recognition of the Armenian genocide partly to preserve ties with Turkiye, once a key strategic partner. However, since the Gaza war, Turkiye has regularly accused Israel of committing genocide in the Palestinian territory, an accusation Israel strongly denies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as a fierce critic, comparing Israeli leaders to Nazi officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called Erdogan an 'anti-semitic dictator who commits genocide against the Kurds.' Turkiye has suspended most trade with Israel and become a strong diplomatic supporter of Hamas.
Saar Denies Retaliation
Saar said the recognition was not an act of retaliation for Turkiye's hostility under Erdogan's leadership. He argued that Turkiye's promotion of false narratives against Israel does not grant it immunity from historical truths.
Historical Context and International Recognition
Armenians seek international recognition that the mass killings under the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1917 amounted to genocide. They say 1.5 million died, while Turkiye denies genocide, claiming both Armenians and Turks died in World War I, with a death toll in the hundreds of thousands. More than two dozen countries, including the United States, France, and Germany, have recognized the killings as genocide. Former US President Joe Biden did so, but his successor Donald Trump has not used that terminology. Armenia and Turkiye have no diplomatic ties but have signaled interest in warming relations in recent years.
