TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) On Sunday, Israel's Cabinet reached a historic unanimous decision to recognize the mass violence against Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide. This pivotal move is pending Parliament's final approval and reflects the deteriorating relationship between Israel and Turkey.
Turkey has actively sought to prevent international recognition of the events surrounding 1915, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians, an act widely regarded by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. The Turkish government maintains that the death toll has been exaggerated and that those who perished were casualties of civil war and unrest rather than a coordinated campaign of genocide.
For many years, Israel remained reticent on the subject, largely due to fears of straining its ties with Turkey. However, the relationship has soured significantly over the past two decades. Political tensions have escalated with ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, leading Israel to reassess its stance on the Armenian Genocide.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who championed the recent proposal, emphasized the need for moral rectitude, stating, "Despite the extensive and unambiguous historical documentation, the Armenian Genocide remains to this day the subject of an institutionalized campaign of denial and minimization." He pointed out that various Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have previously acknowledged the atrocities against Armenians as genocide, although it has not been formally recognized by a vote in Israel’s Knesset until now.
Minister Saar conveyed that it is "never too late to do the right thing," asserting that recognizing the genocide is both a "moral and historical duty." He mentioned that 32 countries, including notable names such as the United States, Syria, and Lebanon, have classified the violence as genocidal in nature. As of the announcement, there has been no indication of when the Cabinet's decision will advance to the Parliament for a vote, nor has there been any immediate response from Turkey.
The historically close alliance between Israel and Turkey has been strained, especially after the rise of Turkey’s Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prompting Israel to modify its foreign policy approach. The dynamic has further complicated tensions as Israel faces accusations of committing genocide against Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Israel initiated military action against Hamas following the group's attack on October 7, 2023. Reports from Gaza's Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, indicate that over 73,000 individuals have died since the conflict escalated, with approximately half being women and children. Israel has countered these claims, insisting that it does not deliberately target civilians, instead accusing Hamas of using them as human shields.
A recent report from a team of independent experts commissioned by the United Nations accused Israel of targeting children in Gaza and reiterated allegations of genocide. Israel dismissed these accusations as a "libelous sham," further contributing to the contentious atmosphere surrounding its military actions and international responses to the ongoing conflict.
