Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated in a podcast hosted by Patrick Bet-David, during which he made a historic statement: he personally recognizes the Armenian Genocide, reports the Jerusalem Post.
Bet-David, who is of Armenian-Assyrian descent, questioned Netanyahu on why Israel has avoided calling the mass killings of 1915–1917 by the Ottoman Empire a genocide, especially given the global recognition of the Holocaust.
When pressed to give a personal stance, Netanyahu responded, “I just did.”
He added that the Knesset recently adopted a decision recognizing the genocide. However, no formal law or binding political resolution has been passed to date.
This marks the first time an Israeli Prime Minister has publicly and explicitly used the word “genocide” in reference to these events.
Bet-David emphasized the emotional weight of the issue for Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks, stating, “Many want world leaders to acknowledge the genocide.”
Israel's lawmakers have previously attempted to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide in 2018 and 2021, but those efforts failed.
The subject remains diplomatically sensitive. For example, the United States only officially recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2021 under President Joe Biden. In response, Turkey summoned the U.S. ambassador in protest.
