Azerbaijan Condemns Israel's Recognition of Armenian Genocide, Jewish Community Voices Anger

The Azerbaijani government sharply condemned Israel's recent decision to officially recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915. In a statement from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the move was described as a distortion of historical truth and an unacceptable politicization of complex historical issues without legal or scientific basis. Azerbaijan, which maintains a friendly relationship with Israel compared to Armenia, argued that this decision undermines reconciliation efforts and damages regional peace and stability. The statement emphasized Azerbaijan's commitment to historical accuracy, international law, and promoting peace.

Azerbaijan's opposition to the recognition is linked to its ongoing conflict with Armenia and its alliance with Turkey, which is responsible for the 1915 massacre. The condemnation came despite prior discussions between Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and his Azerbaijani counterpart before the Israeli government made its decision. Israel values its ties with Azerbaijan, especially due to Azerbaijan's border with Iran and recent major arms deals between the two countries.

Turkey also criticized Israel's recognition, calling it a political move intended to deflect attention from alleged Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. Meanwhile, Rabbi Zamir Eisayev, a leader of the Jewish community in Azerbaijan, expressed strong disagreement with Israel's decision. He called it a one-sided, politically motivated error and urged that historical events like those of 1915 be examined objectively and professionally, based on archival documents and independent historians rather than political declarations. Eisayev hopes the Israeli Knesset will reject this "wrong decision."