Israel's historic unanimous government decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide marks a dramatic turning point in Israeli foreign policy. As Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar aptly put it during the cabinet meeting: "It is never too late to do the right thing." This step, carrying a profound moral and historical duty, brings the painful story of the Armenian people back to center stage, along with the broader historical context of the Ottoman Empire's decline.
In its final days, the Ottoman Empire did not direct its heavy hand solely against the Armenians. Ottoman rule at that time was characterized by harsh repressive policies and forced Turkification toward many minorities and peoples living under its protection, including Greeks and Assyrians. However, the Armenian community suffered the cruelest fate. In April 1915, a systematic and planned extermination began in which men were murdered, and women and children were sent on grueling death marches through the Syrian desert. Approximately 1.5 million Armenians perished in these horrors, which destroyed a cultural heritage thousands of years old in the Anatolian region.
For many decades, the State of Israel refrained from official recognition of this catastrophe. The reasons were clearly political and strategic: the desire to maintain an open diplomatic channel with Turkey, to distinguish between President Erdoğan and his people, and the fear of damaging sensitive security and strategic ties with Azerbaijan — a country bordering Iran and a key partner in major arms deals. Additionally, there was a constant concern about creating a dilution of the uniqueness of the Jewish Holocaust. However, in light of the overt hostility and harsh rhetoric from the current Turkish government, Israel decided that the time had come to give historical truth priority over tactical considerations.
The story of the Armenian people is not merely a matter of the past. Even in modern times, up until 2023, Armenians found themselves under renewed existential threat. Repeated attempts to restrict their movements, distance them from their historic homeland territories, and harm the continuity of their lives brought back to many the old fears of annihilation and expulsion. History, it seems, continued to haunt this people well into the 21st century.
While in Armenia the Israeli decision was received with mixed feelings and a degree of diplomatic restraint, the Armenian community in Jerusalem expressed deep appreciation for the move. Israel's recognition of the Armenian Genocide is testimony that even in a world of cold interests, the voice of conscience and commitment to historical memory must be heard — for the sake of the past and to prevent similar atrocities in the future.
Suggested Title (5 words): Israel Recognizes Armenian Genocide at Last
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