Azerbaijan Expresses Deep Concern Over Israel's Recognition of Armenian Genocide

On Monday, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern over the Israeli government's recent decision to officially recognize the Armenian genocide. The ministry criticized the move as a distortion of historical truth regarding the events of 1915, describing it as a politicization of complex historical processes without legal or scientific basis. Azerbaijan warned that such actions do not promote reconciliation or mutual understanding but instead exacerbate existing disputes and harm efforts toward sustainable peace and reconciliation in the region. The ministry called on Israel to reconsider its decision.

Earlier the same day, Israel's government approved a proposal by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to recognize the Armenian genocide. Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Sa'ar stated, "It is never too late to do the right thing," emphasizing the moral obligation of Israel as the Jewish state to acknowledge the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians and the destruction of their cultural and historical heritage over a century ago.

This development comes amid reports from earlier in the month by CNN that Israel had secretly deployed elite military and intelligence forces in Azerbaijan during its conflict with Iran, as part of a covert network across the Middle East aimed at countering Iranian influence. The recognition of the Armenian genocide marks a significant diplomatic move by Israel, which until now had avoided formal acknowledgment due to geopolitical considerations.