Israeli Knesset Cancels Vote on Armenian Genocide Recognition Amid Azerbaijani Pressure

The Israeli Knesset has canceled a planned vote on recognizing the 1915 massacres of Armenians as genocide, despite the cabinet having unanimously adopted a resolution on the matter in June 2026. According to Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu halted the vote after receiving pressure from high-ranking Azerbaijani officials, including an advisor to President Ilham Aliyev. The Israeli government subsequently informed Azerbaijan that the topic was removed from the parliamentary agenda, though Foreign Ministry spokespersons denied this account. An Israeli government spokesman stated that recognition had already occurred at the state level via the cabinet vote, but Knesset approval is also required. The vote is now not expected until after regular parliamentary elections on October 27. The article provides historical context on the Armenian genocide, in which an estimated 1.5 to 2 million Armenians died under the Ottoman Empire, and notes Turkey's continued non-recognition and Azerbaijan's alignment with Turkey. Azerbaijan and Armenia have a history of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, with a bilateral declaration agreed in 2025 but no permanent peace treaty yet.