Erdogan sharply criticized Israel for recognizing the Armenian genocide
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan harshly criticized Israel’s decision to officially recognize the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire, stating that Ankara “pays no attention to slander” and denying the allegations.
Following a cabinet meeting, the Turkish president issued a sharp statement linking Israel’s decision to the strained relations between the two countries amid the war in Gaza.
“We pay not the slightest attention to the slander directed at our country by a network of murderers whose hands are stained with the blood of 73,000 innocent residents of Gaza, most of whom are children and women,” Erdogan said.
He also stated that in Turkey’s history, “there has been neither genocide, nor mass killings, nor oppression, nor colonialism.”
Erdogan asserts that Israel’s decision is unfounded and contradicts the historical context.
“There is a virtue in protecting those who fled… Nazi persecution. Those who slander Turkey and the Turkish people… know this best if they look at their own history,” he added.
Earlier, the Israeli government unanimously supported the recognition of the Armenian genocide, marking a new phase of diplomatic tension between the two countries.
Relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv have deteriorated sharply against the backdrop of the war in the Gaza Strip.
According to various estimates, approximately 1.5 million Armenians died in the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923. Turkey has traditionally denied that these events constitute genocide, but more than 30 countries, including the United States, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, have officially recognized them as genocide.
The Turkish president’s statement was reported by Politico.
Earlier, the Israeli government unanimously approved a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide. The document has been forwarded to the Knesset for further consideration and a vote, which could mark a new step in the country’s diplomatic relations amid tensions with Turkey.
Israel struck Lebanon the day after the agreement was signed, according to Reuters.
Israel announced it would continue operations in Lebanon under certain conditions.
