Netanyahu recognizes Ottoman-era genocide against Armenians, Assyrians
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday publicly acknowledged for the first time the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks in the early 20th century.
Speaking on the Patrick Bet-David Podcast, Netanyahu was asked why Israel has yet to officially recognize the Armenian genocide. He replied, “I think we have. I think the Knesset passed a resolution to that effect,” although no such legislation has ever been enacted into Israeli law.
When pressed further on why no Israeli prime minister had taken such a step before, Netanyahu responded, “I just did. Here you go.”
The recognition marks a rare and unprecedented statement by an Israeli leader, as successive governments have refrained from doing so due to strategic ties with Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Netanyahu’s remarks are expected to spark reactions from Turkey, which has consistently rejected the term “genocide” to describe the atrocities committed during that period.
The Ottoman genocide, often referred to as the Armenian Genocide, was carried out by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1917 during World War I. It involved the systematic mass killings and forced deportations of Armenians, as well as Assyrians and Greeks.
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed, alongside hundreds of thousands of Assyrians and Greeks through massacres, starvation, and death marches into the Syrian desert. The genocide is recognized by over 30 countries, as well as many historians and international organizations.
However, Turkey, the successor state of the Ottoman Empire, rejects the term “genocide” and describes the events as wartime casualties.
Israel and Turkey established diplomatic ties in 1949, making Turkey the first Muslim-majority country to officially recognize Israel. For decades, the two maintained close security, trade, and military relations, with Turkey serving as a key regional ally for Israel.
However, relations began to deteriorate in the early 2000s, particularly under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has frequently criticized Israel’s policies toward Palestinians. The 2010 Gaza flotilla incident, in which Israeli forces killed nine Turkish activists on the Mavi Marmara, further strained ties.
While diplomatic relations have been restored intermittently, tensions remain. One of the key reasons Israel has avoided formally recognizing the Armenian genocide is its concern about damaging its strategic and military partnership with Turkey, as well as its relations with Azerbaijan, a close Turkish ally.