Armenian analyst says Israel's genocide recognition driven by politics, not history

Israel’s government formally recognized the Armenian Genocide on June 28, a step analysts say was driven more by political considerations than historical reassessment.

Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Institute, said the decision reflects Israel’s strained ties with Turkey rather than new historical findings. “This is a political decision shaped by Israel’s relations with Turkey and Erdogan’s rhetoric toward Israel,” he told Aysor.am in an interview on Thursday.

Iskandaryan emphasized that recognition by governments worldwide has consistently been political in nature, whether through parliamentary votes, presidential statements, or court rulings. “Israel’s government is not a historical institute. They are politicians. What happened is a political act, and it could not be otherwise,” he said.

He noted that while the government’s move is significant, full recognition requires a formal resolution by the Knesset. Future developments, he added, will depend on Israel’s domestic politics and its relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Internationally, motivations for recognition vary — from appealing to Armenian diaspora voters to recalibrating ties with Ankara or pursuing broader strategic goals. Even Turkey’s denial of the genocide, Iskandaryan argued, is less about the events themselves than about their legal and political framing.

As for Armenia, he said Yerevan’s current strategy is to avoid escalating tensions with Turkey and Azerbaijan. “The official approach is to minimize irritation of Turkey and Azerbaijan, in hopes that this will contribute to stronger security,” he explained.