Turkey and Azerbaijan have condemned the Israeli government’s June 28 decision to recognize the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century as genocide.

According to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the Israeli government’s decision is “politically motivated” and aims to “cover up the genocide being committed in the Gaza Strip.”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry notes that Israel, which is facing investigation by the International Criminal Court for its actions against Palestinians in Gaza, “seeks to cover up its own crimes through the political decision it has adopted regarding the events of 1915.”

Ankara describes the Israeli decision as a “malicious attempt, which disregards legal and historical facts, and exposes the predicament of Netanyahu and his accomplices.”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry stressed that it would continue its efforts to end Israel’s “expansionist and destabilizing policies” in the region and to hold the Netanyahu government accountable for crimes against Palestinian civilians.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry today stated that it was seriously concerned by the Israeli government’s decision that concerns the “so-called Armenian Genocide.”

Baku insists that such a “distortion” of historical facts regarding the events of 1915, which reduces a complex historical issue to a political decision without a sound legal or scholarly basis, is unacceptable.”

The ministry says such decisions do not contribute to the strengthening of peace and mutual understanding but rather deepen existing contradictions and hinder reconciliation processes in the region.

Azerbaijan called on the Israeli government to reconsider its decision, noting that Baku will continue to defend “historical truth, respect principles of international law and promote efforts to establish lasting peace in the region.”

The Israeli government’s approval of the resolution introduced by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar recognizing the Armenian Genocide, must be ratified by the Knesset (parliament) to become the country's official position on the issue.

The issue of recognizing the Armenian Genocide has been discussed repeatedly in Israel but has yet not become the official position of the country. In 2016, Israel’s Knesset Education Committee issued a statement recognizing the Armenian Genocide. In May 2018, amid worsening relations between Israel and Turkey, the Knesset plenary session approved the issue of recognizing the Armenian Genocide for discussion and voting.