- For years, the White House recognized

Armenian Remembrance Day

while avoiding the term genocide,

mainly to steer clear ofpotentially alienating Turkey,

a NATO ally,

but the White House statement said

"each year on this day

we remember the livesof all those who died

in the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide

and recommit ourselves to preventing

such an atrocity fromever again occurring."

American Armenians hailed the decision

they see as long overdue.

- We worked very hard

to see America recognizesthe Armenian genocide.

And so, this is a new beginning for us.

I feel it's a newbeginning for my children.

On Twitter,

Turkey's Foreign Ministercondemned the declaration

writing

"Words cannot change or rewrite history"

and Turkey "entirely rejects" it.

Beginning in April, 1915

Ottoman authorities deported,

massacred or marched to death

one and a half million Armenians,

in the first mass extermination

of the 20th century.

Turkey doesn't deny thedeaths from that era,

yet refuses to call it genocide.

The government maintainsthe death toll is inflated

and it all resulted from civil unrest.

Here in Jerusalem's old city,

the Armenian quarter reminds us

of this community'srich Christian heritage.

Still constant reminders, like this poster

signify the scars and memories

that genocide left onArmenians here in Jerusalem

and around the world.

During a ceremony in Armenia,

Armenia's Prime Ministercalled Biden statement

"a powerful step on the wayto acknowledging the truth".

The White House announcement will likely

cast a chilling impact onU.S. Turkish relations.

It's Foreign Ministry said

"it would open a deep wound

that undermines mutualtrust and friendship",

and Turkey summoned the U.S. Ambassador

to protest President Biden's decision.

For now though, Armenians worldwide

feel an historic injusticeis being righted.

- You know, when you look at a Ezekiel 38

you find an alliance coming against Israel

and they talk about Gog and Magog,

most of that is located in Turkey.

And, I think that Erdogan

has taken over Constantinople

and named it, Istanbul,

which means a city of Islam.

He took over the Hagia Sophia,

the great Christian Church

in Constantinople and, and, and

made it into a mosque.

He is a radical, radical Muslim,

and he is a danger tothose who love freedom.

Now, CBN Middle East Bureau Chief

Chris Mitchell is going to join us

from Jerusalem and Chris,

how do you feel Turkey might respond

to Biden's naming this

episode in history, as a genocide?

- Well, Pat, they may go ina few different directions.

They may actually go moreinto the orbit of Russia

and Iran that would play into

the scenario there and Ezekiel 38,

but Turkey is still a NATO ally.

And right now

actually Erdogan mightneed Washington more

than Washington needs Turkey.

Obviously right now,

Turkish U.S. relations are at a low ebb.

You know, it took President Biden

three months to call Erdogan.

That's not a very good sign for Turkey.

And then the news thathe greeted Erdogan with

was the recognition ofthe Armenian genocide.

Obviously that makes Erdogan very upset,

but also geopolitically,

the U.S. is upset at Erdogan.

He's been fighting the Kurds in Syria.

We've talked a lot about that

about a year and a half ago.

He's bullying Greece.

He wants a greater Turkey.

He's trying to push into Northern Iraq.

So, what this does,

it diminishes some of Turkey's prestige

in the region and also,

you know, on U.S. Turkish relations,

to the U.S. is angry at Turkey

for buying Russia's S-400missile defense system.

And, and by the way, Pat,

I was talking to someArmenians here in Jerusalem

and they really are grateful for this,

but they say it's about time

that the U.S. recognize this as a genocide

106 years later after it started.

- Chris, there's a airbase,

Incirlik in Turkey,

American, U.S. Air Base.

And I also understood that they,

we have left several

intermediate nuclear weapons in Turkey.

Have we gotten those thingsout now to your think?

- Well, I think that was

there was a point of discussion actually

when Turkey invaded Northern Syria,

Northeast Syria,

back in I believe

let's see October of 2019.

That was a really a point of contention

and really kind of leaves the U.S.

a little bit vulnerable,

to have those tactical nuclear weapons

at that airbase

and remains to be seen

if they're going to try to get them out

where sometimes perhapsErdogan could use them

as leverage against the United States.

But certainly right now

this puts Erdogan

back on his heels just a bit.

And, and we'll just see how this plays out

geopolitically and prophetically,

as you mentioned.

- Chris, I have been unable to understand

what's going on in Israel.

Perhaps you can clarify it

because I am totally baffled.

What's the latest news in Jerusalem?

- Well, Pat, I'm a bit baffled too.

And I think a lot of Israelis are baffled

and people that are watching Israel around

around the world right now.

The latest is that Netanyahu

has given Benny Gantz an offer that,

he says that, listen,

you can be Prime Minister first

and we'll go in a rotation deal.

You go for one year,

I'll go for two.

And then you can go for the final year.

Gantz has already rejected that.

But Netanyahu may actuallyoffer it to others.

He may offer it to

Naftali Bennett, Gideon Saar.

These are right wing parties, Pat,

that are actually in the opposition.

The naturally, a right wing government,

But, but actually

they are personally not,

don't want to serve

in a Netanyahu government.

He has only eight daysleft to form a mandate.

And it looks like President Rivlin

is going to give the mandate to

Yair Lapid,

and he'll have 28 days tocobble together a government.

And, so right now,

Netanyahu, hasn't been able to convince

those right-wing parties to join him.

In the meantime,

Naftali Bennett is workingon a unity government

with the so-called change bloc.

And, and so there's justso many machinations going

on right now, Pat, it'shard to keep up day by day

but believe it or not still possibilities

of a fifth election later this year.

- Was he going to call a snap,

a snap election where he

he might be taken out? Imean, instead of just going

through the parliamentary system?

Is that on the table?

- What he wanted.

- [Pat] Go ahead.- What he wanted to do Pat,

he's wanted to have elections

for Prime Minister.

Now he's the most popularcandidate for Prime Minister.

And he's said,

let's have a snap election

for the Prime Minister.

If he gets over 40% of the vote,

he can serve as Prime Minister.

And then we can go ahead

and form a coalition government.

That's going to be very hard to do

given the current makeup of the Knesset.

So we'll see what happens,

but that was one possibility.

It looks like that's really

not going to happen for Netanyahu.

It looks like he's not going to be able

to form a government

but it remains to be seen

if the so-called change bloc

is going to be, to forma government as well.

Just one more sign of instability, Pat

and certainly why people

should be praying forthe peace of Jerusalem.

- You better believe it.

Chris Mitchell, thank you from Jerusalem.