Israel's Cabinet unanimously recognises the Armenian Genocide, sending bill to the Knesset
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar won unanimous Cabinet approval on Sunday for a proposal he called a 'moral and historical duty'; the measure goes to the Knesset for a final vote, while Turkey's foreign ministry called it a cover for Israel's own alleged crimes in Gaza
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Summary
Israel's Cabinet voted unanimously on Sunday to formally recognise the Armenian Genocide, the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who brought the proposal, said it was "never too late to do the right thing" and called recognition a moral and historical duty. The bill now goes to the Knesset for a final vote. Turkey's foreign ministry immediately denounced the move as a "political" act meant to distract from Israel's own alleged crimes in Gaza, citing the ICJ proceedings.
Why it matters
Israel avoided recognising the genocide for decades to preserve its relationship with Turkey. That relationship has collapsed since October 2023. The recognition is both a genuine policy shift and a signal of how far Israel-Turkey relations have deteriorated, with Erdogan having backed Hamas and severed trade ties with Israel over Gaza.