Netanyahu's remark about 'Armenian genocide' has nothing to do with Yerevan: Premier Pashinyan

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent remarks regarding the so-called "genocide" have no connection to Armenia.

The comments were made during a press briefing in Armenia's capital, Yerevan, in response to an interview in which Netanyahu mistakenly claimed that the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, had adopted a resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian Genocide."

Pashinyan characterized the Israeli leader's statement as merely a "bargaining chip."

"We need to figure out whether we want the recognition of the Armenian Genocide to become a geopolitical bargaining chip for those who have no connection to our reality and the interests of our people," Pashinyan said.

The Armenian leader also expressed doubt that his nation wants this sensitive issue to be muddled or confused during media interviews.

Pashinyan said he does not want such an outcome and urged citizens to focus on the fundamental interests of the Armenian state.

Türkiye objects to the presentation of the 1915 incidents as "genocide," describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Türkiye and Armenia, as well as international experts, to tackle the issue.

Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine, rendering it uninhabitable.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.