JERUSALEM — The Israeli government voted on June 28, 2026, to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar proposed the resolution that the government approved.

Sa'ar confirmed the government's decision, stating, "The Israeli government approved a short time ago the resolution I presented to it recognizing the Armenian genocide." He added that the resolution will be submitted to the Knesset plenum for a vote. In a post to X/Twitter, Sa'ar said, "Recognizing the genocide perpetrated against the Armenian people in the final years of the Ottoman Empire is both a moral and historical duty."

"This horrific genocide, which took place more than 100 years ago and regarding which there is no real dispute over the historical facts, included the murder of 1.5 million people and the destruction of an ancient cultural and historical heritage," Sa'ar said. He added, "In my view, it is our moral obligation as Jews, and certainly as the state of the Jewish people, to adopt the decision we approved today." Sa'ar also said that it is never "too late to do the right thing."

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that the genocide has been subject to an institutionalized campaign of denial and minimization, spearheaded primarily by Turkey. Turkey denies that the massacres, imprisonment, and forced deportation of Armenians constituted genocide. Sa'ar asserted, "We must also firmly condemn any denial, minimization, or distortion of the historical truth."

As of 2026, 32 UN member states have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide. Among these are the United States, Canada, Russia, and Germany. Additionally, the Holy See and the European Parliament have officially recognized the event.