Netanyahu acknowledges Armenian genocide in podcast interview, first Israeli PM to do so

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised many when he acknowledged the Armenian Genocide during a podcast interview with conservative host Patrick Bet-David on Tuesday. 

During the latter part of the podcast interview, Bet-David asked Netanyahu why Israel does not officially recognize the Armenian genocide. Bet-David comes from an Armenian and Assyrian Christian background and was born in Iran. 

At almost 38 minutes into the interview, Bet-David brought up the subject of genocide, contrasting the almost universal recognition of the Holocaust as genocide with the significant lack of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks during the early 20th century. 

"For anybody that doesn't recognize Armenian-Assyrian genocide, if there's any country that I would have expected to be on the list that recognized the Armenian and the Assyrian and the Greek genocide, it would be Israel," Bet-David said. 

He then asked Netanyahu, “Why haven't you yet recognized the Armenian, Assyrian and the Greek genocide that the Turkish did to that community?” 

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded, saying, "In fact, I think we have, because I think the Knesset passed a resolution to that effect.” 

While the issue of official recognition of the Armenian Genocide has been discussed in the Knesset, no bill has been passed granting official recognition. In 2018, a Knesset bill to officially recognize it was canceled. 

“I don’t know if it’s come from you, though,” Bet-David continued. “I don’t know if it’s come from the prime minister of Israel.” 

“I just did,” Netanyahu responded. “Here you go.” 

BREAKING!

Prime Minister @Netanyahu OFFICIALLY recognizes the Armenian, Assyrian & Greek genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire. pic.twitter.com/fLtsr41YRy

— Patrick Bet-David (@patrickbetdavid) August 26, 2025

The lack of recognition is because historically, Israel sought to keep strong relations with Turkey, which opposes any recognition of the Armenian Genocide, despite the fact that the modern Turkish republic did not exist when the genocide was carried out. 

Also, as a result of Cold War politics, Armenia, which was aligned with Soviet interests, was not seen as an important ally for Israel, while neighboring Azerbaijan, strategically located next to Iran, was. Azerbaijan is a Turkic, Muslim nation, which was part of the Ottoman Empire at the time of the Armenian Genocide. 

Israel has historically been hesitant to jeopardize those two relationships. However, with relations between Israel and Turkey taking a progressively worse turn following the entry of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his AKP party to power around 20 years ago. Since the start of the war in Gaza, Erdoğan and Turkey have been increasingly critical of Israel, cutting economic ties and even calling for an Islamic alliance against the Jewish State. 

The recent U.S.-brokered deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan removes one stumbling block from an official Israel recognition.

Israel has a small but sizable population of Armenians, who fled to the region as a result of the Ottoman Turkish persecution.

Both the United States and Germany, nations which have historically had good relations with Turkey, have recognized the Armenian Genocide, although in both instances it led to some friction between the countries.