Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has strongly criticized Israel's decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide, only to later halt the process, citing its use as a tool in international political struggles.
Why it matters
- Pashinyan defended the Armenian government's decision to deprioritize international recognition of the genocide, using Israel's actions as an example.
- The Israeli government had initially decided to recognize the genocide on June 28, but the vote in the Knesset was later put on hold due to diplomatic pressure from Azerbaijan, leaving the recognition process incomplete.
- Pashinyan emphasized that using the genocide as a political tool harms the Armenian people.
In his speech to the National Assembly on August 24, Pashinyan cited Israel's recognition process, which began in June 2026, as an example. The decision, announced by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on June 25 and unanimously approved by the government on June 28, was put on hold before being voted on in the Knesset. According to an analysis by the Washington Institute in August 2026, consultations between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's advisor Hikmet Hajiyev and the Netanyahu office were instrumental in this decision.
This development highlights how much the process of recognizing the Armenian Genocide is influenced by regional power balances. While Israel's decision can be seen as a geopolitical message in the context of its tense relations with Turkey, Azerbaijan's pressure led to the process being left incomplete. Pashinyan's criticism reflects the discomfort of small states with historical issues being sacrificed to the rivalry between great powers. This situation raises questions about the sincerity of international community's decisions to recognize genocides, justifying Armenia's more pragmatic approach to foreign policy.
Source: Tabya Dijital