Israel moves to formally recognize Armenian WWI deaths as a genocide
Updated on: June 28, 2026 / 10:29 AM EDT / AP
TL;DR
- Israel's Cabinet unanimously approved a proposal to designate the Ottoman Empire's violence against Armenians during WWI as a genocide.
- The proposal requires parliamentary approval and reflects deteriorating ties between Israel and Turkey.
- Turkey denies the events constituted genocide, while historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the decision as a 'moral and historical duty' and noted that 32 other countries recognize the events as genocide.
- The relationship between Israel and Turkey has soured over the past two decades, particularly with recent conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
- Israel faces its own accusations of genocide regarding its offensive in Gaza, which it denies.