In a historic moment, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly recognized the Armenian Genocide for the first time.

During an interview clip with commentator Patrick Bet-David, Netanyahu was pressed on why Israel had never officially acknowledged the genocides of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks. The Prime Minister responded bluntly: “I just did.”

The declaration marks a significant shift in Israel’s official stance and is expected to resonate deeply with Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek communities worldwide, many of whom have long sought broader international recognition of the atrocities.

Historians estimate that 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1916, in what is widely recognized by scholars as one of the first modern genocides. However, political sensitivities — particularly regarding relations with Turkey — have made official recognition a contentious issue for many nations.

Netanyahu’s statement is already being hailed as a milestone in diplomatic history, aligning Israel with dozens of countries that have formally acknowledged the genocide.