Turkey Accuses Israel of Using Armenian Genocide Recognition to Cover Up Gaza Case

Turkey and Azerbaijan condemned Israel after the government unanimously approved a proposal to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The decision, advanced by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, still requires a Knesset vote before the process is completed.

The vote opened a new diplomatic confrontation over an issue Israel had avoided for years because of sensitivities with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Relations with Ankara have sharply deteriorated, while Azerbaijan remains an important strategic partner for Israel.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry accused Israel of using the decision to divert attention from the war in Gaza. “The Israeli government… seeks to cover up its own crimes through the political decision it has adopted regarding the events of 1915,” the ministry said.

Ankara also pointed to the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. Turkey said the decision exposed what it called the “predicament” of Netanyahu and his allies.

Turkey did not use the term Armenian Genocide in its statement. Instead, it referred to the killings as “the events of 1915” and said Israel’s move disregards “legal and historical facts.”

Sa’ar defended the decision after the cabinet vote. “It is never too late to do the right thing,” he said.

According to Sa’ar, recognition of the Armenian Genocide is a moral and historical duty for Israel as the state of the Jewish people. The resolution also condemns denial, minimization and distortion of the historical truth surrounding the genocide.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks during World War I. The Armenian Genocide is widely recognized by scholars and by dozens of countries, including the United States, Germany and Russia. Turkey denies that the killings constituted genocide and says the death toll has been inflated.

Azerbaijan also objected to the Israeli decision. Its Foreign Ministry said “the decision by the Israeli government concerning the so-called ‘Armenian genocide’ is a matter of serious concern.”

Baku said the move distorted historical facts, deepened divisions and harmed efforts toward reconciliation in the region. Azerbaijan called on Israel to reconsider the decision.

The proposal is now expected to move to the Knesset for a vote. If approved there, it would complete Israel’s formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide and could further strain ties with both Turkey and Azerbaijan.