The Knesset approved a resolution on 29 June 2026 formally recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide, ending years of diplomatic ambiguity. RFI interviewed three experts — Gerald Steinberg of Bar‑Ilan University, Richard Giragossian of the Regional Studies Centre in Yerevan, and Ilter Turan of Bilgi University — to analyse the political implications and aftermath.
This act reflects a worsening Israel‑Turkey relationship, with the timing driven more by diplomatic friction than by a genuine historical reassessment.
Ankara’s recent hosting of Hamas representatives and its public criticism of Israel’s Gaza operations have framed the move as a strategic rebuke toward Turkey within Israeli policy circles.
In Yerevan, the acknowledgment was received with skepticism, viewed as long overdue and motivated by political considerations. Nevertheless, it establishes a precedent likely to endure beyond any single administration.
The decision precipitated a rapid decline in Israel‑Azerbaijan relations, prompting debate over whether the move constituted a self‑inflicted diplomatic setback.