Türkiye Condemns Netanyahu’s Remarks on 1915
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye today (Wednesday) issued a statement strongly condemning and rejecting the remarks made by Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, regarding the events of 1915.
The statement read: “The Prime Minister of Israel’s remarks are a clear attempt to politically exploit the painful events of the past. He is being prosecuted for his role in the ‘genocide’ against the Palestinian people, and he and his government are trying to conceal their own crimes. We categorically condemn and reject these remarks, which are in contradiction with historical facts and legal principles.”
Armenia and its affiliated lobbies around the world are calling on Türkiye to recognize as “genocide” what took place during the relocations of 1915 in the territory of the Ottoman Empire, and to take steps toward paying reparations.
According to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, the term refers to the destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Türkiye emphasizes that the events of 1915 cannot be described as “genocide” and regards them instead as a “tragedy” shared by both sides. Ankara calls for this issue to be addressed away from political tensions, within the framework of the “just memory” approach — an approach that stresses avoiding a one-sided view of history, fostering mutual understanding of each side’s experiences, and showing respect for the memories of the past.
Türkiye has also proposed that, in addition to the national archives of Türkiye and Armenia, relevant documents in the archives of other countries be examined, and that a joint historical commission comprising Turkish, Armenian, and international experts be established.
