The Israeli government has made a historic decision, unanimously approving formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide. This move marks a significant shift in the country's stance, as it had previously avoided recognizing the genocide due to diplomatic caution and a desire to maintain relations with Turkey.
The decision was made after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar proposed recognizing the mass killing, imprisonment, and forced deportation of Armenians during the final years of the Ottoman Empire as genocide. The proposal was backed by the cabinet and must now be ratified by the Knesset to become Israel's formal parliamentary position. Sa'ar hailed the decision, stating that "it is never too late to do the right thing."
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is seen as a moral obligation by the Israeli government, particularly given the country's own experience with genocide. Sa'ar framed the decision as a Jewish and Israeli moral duty, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the historical facts of the genocide. The foreign minister also thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers for their support, highlighting the rare unanimous decision on an issue that Israel had previously avoided.
For decades, Israel had refused to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, largely due to its strategic partnership with Turkey. However, relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent years, particularly under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership. Turkey has moved away from its previous strategic partnership with Israel and has instead adopted an Islamist, anti-Israel posture.
The Armenian people have sought international recognition of the genocide for over a century, with their case resting on the mass deportations, death marches, massacres, and destruction of Armenian communities under Ottoman rule between 1915 and 1917. While Turkey rejects the genocide label, the historical consensus outside of Turkish officialdom is clear, with scholars widely regarding the mass killing of Armenians as the first genocide of the 20th century.
More than 30 UN member states, including the United States, France, Germany, Canada, and Russia, have recognized the Armenian Genocide. The Holy See and the European Parliament have also formally recognized it. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has stated that the genocide remains subject to an "institutionalized campaign of denial and minimization," led primarily by Turkey.
The decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide is expected to provoke Turkey, which has spent decades lobbying against recognition abroad. The move may also have implications for the Middle East, where the failures of globalist diplomacy have led to a reshaping of the region. The Israeli government's decision is seen as a significant step towards acknowledging the historical truth and providing moral clarity on the issue.
