Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry on June 28 accused Israel of attempting to deflect attention from its violence in Gaza after its cabinet approved a proposal recognizing the 1915 events involving Armenians as genocide.
In a written statement, the ministry said Israel was seeking to “cover up its own crimes” through a political decision, noting that Israel is facing a case at the International Court of Justice over allegations of genocide in Gaza, which Israel denies.
The Israeli cabinet unanimously approved Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s proposal earlier in the day to recognize an Armenian genocide. The decision still requires parliamentary approval before taking effect.
The move comes amid worsening relations between Türkiye and Israel, with Ankara repeatedly accusing the latter of committing genocide in Gaza.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry described Israel’s recognition move as a “malicious attempt” and said it reflected “the predicament of Netanyahu and his accomplices, for whom arrest warrants have been issued in the context of the investigation conducted by the International Criminal Court into crimes committed against Palestinians.”
The ministry added that Türkiye would continue efforts to end what it called Israel’s “expansionist and destabilizing policies in the region” and pursue legal accountability for the Israeli government over crimes against civilians, particularly Palestinians.
Azerbaijan on June 29 also denounced the decision, describing the Israeli move as “serious concern.”
“It is unacceptable to distort historical facts about the events of 1915 and turn complex historical processes into the subject of political decisions far removed from legal and scientific foundations,” the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement .
Baku also urged the Israeli government to reconsider its decision.
Türkiye maintains that the deaths of Armenians during World War I occurred under wartime conditions and rejects the characterization of the events as genocide. Armenians recognize the killings as genocide and have sought broader international recognition.
The two sides also dispute the number of people who died during the events.
