The Knesset’s Education, Culture and Sports Committee recognized the Armenian genocide at a meeting held in the Israeli parliament, which was initiated by Knesset Member Zehava Galon who chairs the left-wing Meretz faction.
The decision to recognize the Armenian genocide by a parliamentary committee represents a symbolic change in light of Israel’s maintenance of a policy to refrain from officially recognizing the Armenian genocide in which approximately 1.5 million Armenians were reportedly massacred by Ottoman Turkish forces during World War I.
Knesset Member Galon stressed following the committee’s decision that “It is a disservice to the Knesset to continue going on and on about this issue, year after year, without reaching a decision that the State of Israel and the Knesset recognize the genocide of the Armenian people.”
Israel has previously abstained from recognizing the genocide in order to avoid potential negative repercussions on its relationship with Turkey. The Jewish state has just signed an agreement last month with Turkey to advance reconciliation between the two countries after stain bilateral relations since 2010.