France, June 29 -- "A historic decision: the Israeli government has unanimously approved Foreign Minister Gideon Saar's proposal to recognise the Armenian genocide," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The cabinet's decision must still be ratified by parliament.

"The Armenian genocide remains to this day the subject of an institutionalised campaign of denial and minimisation, including a manipulative rewriting of history, mainly by the Turkish government," Saar said at a cabinet meeting, according to a statement issued by his office.

"I think the time has come for Israel, as a Jewish state, to formally accept this position... It is never too late to do the right thing... this is both a moral and historical duty."

Successive Isra...