TEL AVIV, August 27, 2025 – In a striking interview on the popular PBD Podcast hosted by Patrick Bet-David, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly recognized for the first time the genocide committed against the Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans), Armenians, and Greeks during World War I.
When Bet-David, whose family has Assyrian roots from Iran, pressed him on why Israel had not yet taken an official step, Netanyahu responded briefly and decisively:
“I just did. Here you go.”
With this remark, Netanyahu broke from the cautious phrasing used by previous Israeli governments, which had consistently avoided official recognition out of consideration for ties with Turkey.
He added:
“I think we have. I think the Knesset passed a resolution to that effect.”
In reality, the Knesset has over the years passed several resolutions supporting the remembrance of the victims. However, these have never amounted to binding legislation. So far, decisions have remained symbolic, limited to committee-level resolutions without the force of law.
Netanyahu’s words may now reignite debate in Jerusalem. Observers expect lawmakers to seize the moment and push forward a formal legislative proposal that would enshrine recognition into law. Such a move would align Israel with the United States, Germany, France, and dozens of other countries that have classified the massacres of 1915–1917 as genocide.
The consequences could be significant. Domestically, formal recognition would strengthen the visibility and dignity of Christian minorities who have long awaited clear acknowledgment. It would also bolster Israel’s moral credibility in addressing historic crimes.
Internationally, however, Turkey’s reaction is likely to be swift and hostile. Ankara has consistently rejected any international recognition of the genocide and has, in the past, frozen or downgraded diplomatic relations over the issue. Should the Knesset pass a binding law recognizing the genocide of Armenians, Syriacs, and Greeks, it could mark the beginning of a new freeze in Israeli-Turkish relations – at a time when ties are already fragile.
For the affected communities in the Middle East and across the global diaspora, Netanyahu’s words – “I just did” – carry a weight far beyond politics. Many view them as the long-overdue acknowledgment of a trauma that has been denied or ignored for more than a century.
