Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the midst of the ongoing conflict in Gaza and mounting accusations of war atrocities, publicly acknowledged that a genocide was carried out by the Ottoman empire against Armenians, Assyrians, and Pontic Greeks in the early 20th century. His remarks came during an interview on Tuesday with podcaster Patrick Bet-David.

Bet-David pressed Netanyahu on why Israel, of all countries, had yet to recognize these genocides. “If there were one country I would expect to be on the list of those that have recognized the genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks, it would be Israel. Why has Israel not recognized the genocide committed by the Turks against these communities?” he asked.

Netanyahu responded that Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, had already passed a resolution acknowledging the genocide and added that he was prepared to affirm it himself. “In fact, I think we’ve done it, because I believe the Knesset has approved such a resolution,” he said.

The host then pressed further, noting that such recognition had never come directly from Israel’s head of government. To this, Netanyahu replied: “Yes, I just did. There you go.”

The statement comes as Israel itself faces international scrutiny over the devastating toll of its military campaign in Gaza. Allegations of genocide have been brought against the country, with legal proceedings expected to reach a critical stage between late 2027 and early 2028.