Israel's recognition of the Armenian genocide unsettles Turkey and Azerbaijan

Israel's government voted on 28 June to recognise the 1915 Armenian genocide, breaking with decades of official reticence on the issue. RFI spoke to three regional experts to unpack the politics behind the vote and its fallout: Gerald Steinberg, professor at Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv; Richard Giragossian, director of the Regional Studies Centre in Yerevan; and Ilter Turan, professor at Bilgi University in Istanbul. Israel's belated recognition of the Armenian genocide illustrates its deteriorating relationship with Turkey, rather than a reassessment of history, as the real driver behind the timing. Ankara's hosting of Hamas officials and its criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza are seen as the backdrop, with the decision viewed in Israeli policy circles as a rebuke to Turkey. In Yerevan too, the recognition has been met with scepticism, seen as overdue and politically motivated. Still, it is regarded as setting a precedent that will be difficult for any future Israeli government to reverse. As the move triggered a sharp deterioration in Israel-Azerbaijan relations, the question arises: did Israel score an own goal?