The Israeli government on Sunday unanimously recognized the massacres of Armenians during World War I as a genocide. The decision is widely seen as a direct rebuke to Turkey, highlighting a sharp deterioration in relations since the Gaza war began.
The approval by the cabinet fulfills a proposal by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. He stated the Armenian genocide remains the subject of denial and manipulation, "mainly by the Turkish government," calling recognition a "moral and historical duty."
Successive Israeli governments had previously avoided the formal recognition to preserve strategic ties with Turkey. The decision still requires ratification by the Israeli parliament.