Israel's government unanimously approved Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's proposal on Sunday, June 28, 2026, to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire during and after World War I. The decision also draws attention to parallel atrocities committed against Greeks (including Pontic and Anatolian Greeks) and Assyrians in the same period.

Related: The Assyrian Genocide

Historians estimate that approximately 1.5 million Armenians were killed through systematic massacres, forced death marches into the Syrian desert, executions, and starvation between 1915 and 1923. Similar campaigns targeted Ottoman Greek communities (with estimates of hundreds of thousands killed or displaced, particularly in Pontus and western Anatolia) and Assyrian Christians. These events involved widespread destruction of cultural heritage, forced labor, and mass deportations aimed at eliminating Christian populations in the empire. Turkey continues to reject the characterization of these events as genocide.

Erdogan's Sharp Response

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately condemned the Israeli decision, reiterating accusations of Israeli "genocide" in Gaza and positioning Turkey as a defender of the oppressed. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has previously described Erdogan as a leader who persecutes political opponents, imprisons journalists, targets Kurds, occupies northern Cyprus, and supports jihadist groups.

Historical and Geopolitical Context

Israel had long refrained from formal recognition partly to preserve relations with Turkey. Ties have deteriorated sharply under Erdogan, who has backed Hamas, severed much of the bilateral trade, and intensified anti-Israel rhetoric. The move comes amid broader regional rivalries and is seen by many as both a moral stance and a diplomatic signal.

The Ottoman campaigns against Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Christians in the early 20th century are often studied together as interconnected efforts to reshape the empire's demographics. Recognition by over 30 countries underscores growing international acknowledgment of these historical facts.

This decision has been welcomed by Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian diaspora communities as an important step toward historical truth and justice.