The cabinet unanimously approved Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's proposal on Sunday, reversing a long-standing policy of avoiding recognition to preserve ties with Turkey. Turkey's Foreign Ministry called the decision "a political act," and Azerbaijan urged Israel to reconsider.
The Israeli government on Sunday officially recognized the 1915 mass killing of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire as genocide, in a unanimous cabinet vote on a resolution brought by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. The decision reverses decades of Israeli diplomatic policy that had avoided formal recognition to protect strategic ties with Turkey. Sa'ar told the cabinet: "It is never too late to do the right thing," and thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for backing the step, which he described as "a moral duty for the Jewish state." Turkey's Foreign Ministry immediately condemned the move as "a political act" that signals a sharp deterioration in relations. Azerbaijan, a key Israeli partner in the Caucasus, also urged Jerusalem to reconsider. The recognition follows weeks of escalating rhetoric between Israeli leaders and Turkish President Erdogan, whom Netanyahu recently called an "antisemitic dictator." The Zioneer previously reported on Sa'ar's proposal on Thursday June 25 and on the cabinet's approval on Sunday. The Knesset is expected to hold a separate vote on the recognition on Monday.
6 developments
- StrongFM Sa'ar to bring Armenian Genocide recognition proposal to Sunday cabinet meeting
- DevelopingFM Sa'ar: Armenian Genocide recognition not retaliation, but truth
- Developing301 analyst: Sa'ar's Armenian Genocide recognition marks broader campaign against Turkey
- StrongTurkey says Israel's Armenian Genocide recognition aimed to whitewash Gaza crimes
Source and signal
- Internal intake