From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Turkey slams Netanyahu for ‘politically motivated’ recognition of Armenian genocide
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Turkey rejects remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday recognizing the genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks in the early 20th century.
“Netanyahu’s remarks concerning the events of 1915 are an attempt to exploit past tragedies for political motives,” writes Ankara’s Foreign Ministry in a Turkish-language statement, saying, “We condemn and reject this statement, which is incompatible with historical and legal facts.”
Turkey repeats its accusation that Israel is carrying out a genocide in the Gaza Strip, saying, “Netanyahu, who is on trial for his role in the genocide committed against the Palestinian people, is attempting to cover up the crimes committed by himself and his government.”
Starting with Uruguay in 1965, nations including France, Germany, Canada, Russia and the United States have recognized the Armenian genocide, but Israel had long avoided the step, though a number of senior politicians have called for the move in recent years. Netanyahu’s remarks mark the first time an Israeli prime minister has done so, likely reflecting increasingly poor ties with Turkey, which has long rejected the characterization.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly compared Israel to Nazi Germany over its war against Hamas in Gaza.
The Times of Israel Community.