Turkey slams Israel over Armenian genocide recognition, Baku reacts cautiously

Israel’s government on Sunday unanimously voted for the country to recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The decision will now have to be approved in the country’s parliament.

The decision expectedly drew criticism from Baku and Ankara. In a statement on Monday, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry called the decision “a matter of serious concern” and a “distortion of historical facts,” while also referring to it as “a complex historical issue” allegedly being used for political gain. The reserved tone of the statement could be explained by strong ties between the Azerbaijani and Israeli governments, which sees Baku procuring Israeli military equipment largely in return for energy supplies. 

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry was far less diplomatic, arguing that Israel is using Armenian Genocide recognition to cover up what it described as a “genocide against Gazans.” Bilateral relations, which have seen ups and downs over decades, plummeted following the 2023 Gaza crisis, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan calling Israel a “terrorist state” and effectively severing diplomatic ties.

This timing has also drawn similar criticism from some Armenians: critics argue that genocide recognition should stem from moral conviction rather not political calculation.

In his statement on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said: “It’s never too late to do the right thing,” referring to Israel’s long-standing reluctance to recognize the 1915 genocide due to political considerations tied to extensive cooperation with Turkey and Azerbaijan, particularly in the economic sphere.

In Armenia, neither the Foreign Ministry nor other public officials have so far commented on the matter.