Israeli Expert Warns Armenian Genocide Recognition Could Harm Strategic Ties with Azerbaijan

Israel's government recently decided to officially recognize the Armenian genocide, a move initiated by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and approved unanimously. This decision has sparked sharp criticism from Israeli foreign policy experts and Jewish community leaders in Azerbaijan, who warn it could damage Israel's strategic relations with Azerbaijan, a key regional ally.

Professor Ephraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and an expert on Israel-Turkey relations, called the recognition a "childish and petty mistake" that risks a heavy diplomatic price. In an interview with Kol Barama, Inbar emphasized that the decision appears aimed at criticizing Turkey but may instead harm Azerbaijan, which he described as a "strategic asset" with deep security, energy, and regional ties to Israel. He stressed that foreign policy should be based on current interests rather than historical revenge and urged Israel to pursue relations with Turkey quietly and wisely.

Simultaneously, leaders of the three Jewish communities in Baku, the Mountain Jews, Ashkenazi, and Sephardic communities, appealed urgently to the Israeli Knesset not to support the recognition. They argued that complex historical issues should be left to historians, not political decisions, warning that such moves could undermine trust between Jerusalem and Baku amid ongoing peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Rabbi Zamir Isayev highlighted that Jews in Azerbaijan have lived securely for generations and called Azerbaijan a loyal friend of Israel.

Azerbaijan's government officially condemned Israel's decision, stating it harms bilateral relations and urging reconsideration. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also refrained from endorsing the move, opposing the politicization of the genocide issue. The Armenian genocide, carried out by the Ottoman Empire during World War I between 1915 and 1923, resulted in approximately 1.5 million Armenian deaths. Turkey, as the Ottoman successor state, strongly rejects the genocide label, framing the events as wartime tragedy.

This controversy highlights the delicate balance Israel faces in managing its foreign relations with Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia amid historical and geopolitical sensitivities.