Azerbaijan Condemns Israel's Recognition of Armenian Genocide as Distortion of Truth

On Monday, the Azerbaijani government issued a strong condemnation following Israel's decision the previous day to officially recognize the Armenian genocide. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry described the move as a "distortion of the truth" regarding the events of 1915 and criticized the politicization of complex historical issues without legal or scientific basis as "unacceptable." Azerbaijan's opposition to the recognition is tied to its ongoing conflict with Armenia and its alliance with Turkey, which it holds responsible for the massacre.

Despite prior discussions between Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Azerbaijan urged Israel to reconsider, warning that such actions deepen divisions and harm efforts toward peace and stability in the region. Israel's government unanimously decided to recognize the genocide based on a moral and historical obligation, condemning denial or minimization of these events.

Israel's previous reluctance to acknowledge the Armenian genocide was influenced by its strategic ties with Azerbaijan, especially given Azerbaijan's border with Iran and recent large arms deals. Turkey also criticized Israel's recognition, accusing it of a political maneuver to deflect attention from alleged Israeli crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.

Rabbi Zamir Eisayev, a leader of the Jewish community in Azerbaijan, publicly opposed Israel's decision, calling it politically motivated and one-sided. He emphasized the need for objective, professional historical research rather than political declarations and expressed hope that the Israeli Knesset would reject this "wrong decision."