Israel formally recognizes Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - On June 28, the Israeli government unanimously approved an initiative submitted by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide, according to RFE/RL.

“It is never too late to do the right thing. This horrific genocide, which took place more than 100 years ago and whose historical facts are truly indisputable, involved the killing of one and a half million people and the destruction of an ancient cultural and historical heritage,” he said.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced his support for the initiative to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Turkey responded to the Israeli government's decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide, describing it as political, according to Factor.am .

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said:

“The Israeli government, which is carrying out systematic violence against the Palestinian people before the eyes of the entire world and is the subject of proceedings before the International Court of Justice on charges of committing genocide against the residents of Gaza, aims through its political decision regarding the events of 1915 to conceal its own crimes.

This ill-intentioned initiative, which disregards legal and historical facts, exposes the grave situation in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his accomplices find themselves. Arrest warrants have been issued against them within the framework of the International Criminal Court's investigation into crimes committed against Palestinians.

Turkey will continue to work resolutely to bring an end to Israel's expansionist and destabilizing policies in the region and to ensure that Netanyahu's government is held accountable before the courts for crimes committed against the Palestinian people, especially the civilian population.”

Official Yerevan has not yet responded to the decision.

In recent years, Armenia's authorities have stated that international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is no longer a foreign policy priority for the official government in Yerevan.