System Of A Down vocalist Serj Tankian has criticized the Israeli government after reports emerged that it has moved to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, arguing the decision is hypocritical given Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
Advocacy for international recognition of the Armenian Genocide has long been central to Tankian’s activism and System Of A Down’s legacy. The band has spent decades raising awareness of the 1915 genocide through interviews, benefit releases, and landmark performances, including their historic 2015 concert in Yerevan, Armenia.
Following the reports, Tankian shared a video statement on social media, where he reflected on Israel’s previous stance toward recognizing the genocide.
“For many years, Israel’s government used AIPAC to lobby the US Congress to not recognize the Armenian genocide, to prevent Congress from recognizing the Armenian genocide, due to their relationship with Turkey, their intelligence sharing with Turkey, et cetera.
Today, the Netanyahu cabinet decided to recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915 — a genocide that led Hitler thinking that he could do what he could do to the Jews in the 1930s and 1940s.
The fact that this government is already committing genocide in Gaza and Lebanon decided to recognize the genocide of my grandparents is the worst f***ing thing that they could have done to Armenians — by using our history, our genocide, our pain to their political advantage.
F*** you.”
Tankian has remained one of rock and metal’s most outspoken political voices throughout his career, regularly speaking on issues involving Armenia, war, human rights, and international politics. His advocacy has also played a major role in System Of A Down’s work, including the band’s 2020 charity singles that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for humanitarian relief during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
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