Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar Pushes for Official Recognition of Armenian Genocide

by Athens Bureau

Greek City Times | June 27, 2026

In a significant development that could reshape Israel’s stance on Ottoman-era atrocities, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has announced he will submit a government resolution for the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The move comes amid growing calls in Israel to also acknowledge the suffering of Pontic Greeks and Assyrian (Syriac) communities during the same period of mass violence.

Sa’ar stated on his official X account that recognizing the genocide against the Armenian people in the final years of the Ottoman Empire is both a “moral and historical duty.” He emphasized that Israel must firmly condemn any denial, minimization, or distortion of these events. The proposal will be presented to the government and subsequently brought before the Knesset for approval.

This initiative builds on statements made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in August 2025. During an interview on the PBD Podcast with host Patrick Bet-David (of mixed Assyrian-Armenian descent), Netanyahu personally acknowledged the 1915 atrocities against Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks.

Broader Recognition Advocated

Israeli strategic adviser Shay Gal, a geopolitical analyst and former senior executive at Israel Aerospace Industries, welcomed Sa’ar’s proposal but argued that limiting recognition to the Armenian Genocide would be incomplete. Gal described the events as part of a continuous “Thirty-Year Genocide” targeting Christian populations — including Syriac (Aramean-Assyrian-Chaldean) communities and Pontic Greeks — from the Hamidian massacres through the Young Turk era and into the early Turkish Republic.

“The Armenian Genocide was not an isolated tragedy. The Assyrian Genocide was not an appendix. The Greek Genocide, including the Greeks of Pontus, was not a footnote,” Gal wrote. He stressed that Israel, as the Jewish state, has a special moral responsibility to recognize the full scope of these crimes against humanity.

Gal also referenced the Jewish NILI underground network during World War I, which gathered intelligence against the Ottomans and witnessed the plight of Armenian and other Christian minorities, viewing it as a warning for other groups, including Jews in the region.

Historical Context

The mass atrocities of 1915, known as the Sayfo (“Sword”) among Syriac Christians, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks. Entire communities were uprooted, churches destroyed, and survivors faced forced conversions and deportations across Anatolia and Mesopotamia.

While many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide, formal acknowledgment of the Assyrian and Greek dimensions remains more limited. Should Israel proceed with official recognition, pressure is expected to mount for a comprehensive approach that honors all affected Christian peoples.

This potential policy shift marks a notable departure from Israel’s historically cautious position, long influenced by strategic relations with Turkey. It is likely to draw strong reactions from Ankara, which continues to reject the genocide label.

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