To the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu
To the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog
To the Speaker of the Knesset, Amir Ohana
To the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Gideon Sa’ar
Distinguished Gentlemen,
On behalf of the “Patrida” Greek community organization of the Republic of Armenia—which unites the Greeks of Armenia and Artsakh—we welcome, with profound respect and sincere gratitude, the decision of the State of Israel to recognize The Armenian Genocide. This act holds immense significance not only for the Armenian people but also as a crucial step in upholding historical truth and human dignity, and in affirming the principle that crimes against humanity must not go unpunished, regardless of political expediency.
We express our appreciation to the Jewish people worldwide who have tirelessly advocated for this decision over the years—historians, human rights activists, public figures, and the leaders of Jewish organizations in Armenia (including the local Jewish community)—who steadfastly championed the triumph of truth and justice. In Armenia, the memory of innocent victims is not something that divides nations; rather, it is something meant to unite humanity in the shared endeavor to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.
We hope that the ratification of this decision by the Knesset will serve as further, undeniable confirmation of Israel’s commitment to the fundamental principles of international law, respect for historical memory, and an uncompromising stance against genocide denial.
Modern-day Turkey is a state woven from the remnants of the Byzantine Empire; an artificial national identity was forcibly imposed upon the tormented peoples who lived within that empire—foremost among them Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, and even Arabs (whose genocide, by a strange coincidence, remains in the shadows, perhaps due to the shared Islamic faith held by the Turks themselves). We believe the time will come when these forcibly assimilated peoples rise up to reclaim their true identities and national consciousness, for religion has no bearing on nationality. Indeed, even from the perspectives of anthropology and genetics, modern Turks share nothing in common with the Turkic ethnic group.
In light of the foregoing, the “Patrida” Organization of Greeks of Armenia and Artsakh sincerely hopes and advocates for the following: following the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the issue of recognizing the genocide of the Pontic Greeks, the Greeks of Asia Minor, the Assyrians, and other peoples of the Ottoman Empire must be raised.
We express our deepest gratitude to the State of Israel for this timely and historically significant step. May the memory of the innocent victims serve as an unshakable foundation for mutual respect, dialogue, and peace among nations.
Eduard Polatov (Polatidis)
Chairman of the “Patrida” Organization; Editor of the journal “Byzantine Heritage”; Lawyer and human rights activist; Citizen of Armenia and Greece
Republic of Armenia
July 9, 2026
