Call from Baku buried Israel's so-called genocide recognition vote in Knesset

A Knesset vote on recognizing the Armenian genocide was reportedly shelved after a senior Azerbaijani official, Hikmat Hajiyev, contacted the Prime Minister's Office. This intervention followed the Israeli government's unanimous approval of the recognition last month, exposing a rift between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. Sa'ar's office denied Netanyahu blocked the vote, stating, "There is a government decision, and it was approved unanimously. It will not be changed, and that is the important and historic fact." The move highlights Israel's strategic relationship with Azerbaijan, a key regional partner and recipient of Israeli weapons. Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry had formally condemned the recognition, calling it a "distortion of the historical facts." This incident marks another failed attempt at formal Knesset recognition, despite previous efforts and commemorative discussions.