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MKS CALL FOR STATE TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By LAHAV HARKOV
Jerusalem Post
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=250974
Dec 26 2011
Left, Right agree gov't should recognize Armenian genocide; Foreign
Ministry: Official declaration would be 'irresponsible.'
Knesset members from all sides of the political spectrum called for
the government to officially recognize the Armenian genocide, marking
the first time the issue was discussed in an open Knesset meeting.
The Knesset Education Committee meeting was initiated after MK Arye
Eldad (National Union) proposed a bill to mark the Armenian genocide
annually, which was then turned into a motion for the agenda after
Eldad realized the coalition would not allow the legislation to pass.
The meeting also addressed a similar motion put forward by MK Zehava
Gal-On (Meretz), making Armenian genocide one of the few topics agreed
upon by the Knesset factions farthest to the political left and right.
The discussion took place a week after France's lower house of
parliament moved to criminalize Armenian-genocide denial, leading to
a diplomatic crisis between Paris and Ankara.
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said that those who fight Holocaust
denial must not ignore the tragedies of other nations, and it is a
moral imperative that Israel remember the Armenian genocide.
Rivlin said that he made a motion to the agenda on the matter in
1989, but until Monday, it was not discussed openly in the Knesset,
due to political and diplomatic reasons. He added that the issue was
moved from the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, where
it was discussed behind closed doors, to the Education Committee,
with the press present, so that "morals and values" could be discussed.
Gal-On said the meeting was an "exciting moment," bringing to fruition
the efforts of many former and current Meretz MKs over the years.
She called for government ministries to stop using the Armenian
genocide as a tool in Israeli foreign policy. Although Gal-On said that
Israel must not allow "tense" relations with Turkey to deteriorate, she
added that relations with Turkey should be separate from this issue.
"This is the first time we can really discuss this and not sweep
it under the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee's rug: A million
and a half Armenians were murdered in the beginning of World War I,"
Eldad said. "Who remembers them today? We must talk about it, so no
one in the world thinks [genocide] can be committed again."
Eldad accused the government of hypocrisy, saying that at first,
the matter wasn't publicly addressed because relations with Turkey
were strong, and now the same policy stands for the opposite reason.
Coalition chairman Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) said that he is embarrassed
that the Knesset has yet to fulfill its "basic responsibility" in
recognizing the Armenian genocide.
He said "a wall has been broken" in that the Education Committee
discussion was taking place openly, but that progress still needs to
be made.
Elkin also mentioned that in 1939, Hitler cited the fact that Europe
ignored the Armenian genocide to justify his actions.
At the same time, Foreign Ministry representatives in the meeting said
that it would be irresponsible to make any official declarations on
the matter.
The ministry never denied the Armenian genocide, the representatives
explained, but the issue has become political, and Israel prefers
not to be involved, especially because Turkey and Armenia have been
holding an open dialog on the facts and opinions surrounding it.
In addition, only 21 countries have officially recognized the Armenian
genocide, according to the Foreign Ministry, and it would be unfair
to declare all those who haven't immoral.
"We can't disconnect ourselves from reality. The Islamic world is
getting more and more extreme," MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) said,
echoing the Foreign Ministry's stance. "We have to improve our
relationship with Turkey; it's a matter of survival, even if it has
a painful price."
Schneller suggested that the Knesset declare that according to human
and Jewish morality, genocide is unacceptable no matter where it
takes place, be it Armenia, Rwanda or Cambodia. He added that specific
discussion of the Armenian genocide would be irresponsible.
In addition, two representatives of the Israel-Azerbaijan International
Association (AZIZ), denied that genocide took place, saying that
Armenians took the side of Turkey's enemies and were a "fifth column"
in Turkey.
In addition, AZIZ spokesman Arye Gut said that thousands of
Azerbaijanis were killed in war with Armenia, and that Armenia
occupies land Azerbaijan's land. The two countries fought a war
following World War I, and another war from 1988-1994.
Gut told the committee to keep in mind that Turkey helped Jews after
the Spanish Inquisition and during the Holocaust, and that there are
only 300 Jews in Armenia, while 30,000 live in Azerbaijan.
He called for the government not to make any official statements,
and wait for decisions to be made in an international, academic forum.
No vote took place at the end of the meeting, and Knesset Education
Committee chairman Alex Miller (Israel Beiteinu) said that more open
discussions of the Armenian genocide will take place.
From: Baghdasarian
By LAHAV HARKOV
Jerusalem Post
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=250974
Dec 26 2011
Left, Right agree gov't should recognize Armenian genocide; Foreign
Ministry: Official declaration would be 'irresponsible.'
Knesset members from all sides of the political spectrum called for
the government to officially recognize the Armenian genocide, marking
the first time the issue was discussed in an open Knesset meeting.
The Knesset Education Committee meeting was initiated after MK Arye
Eldad (National Union) proposed a bill to mark the Armenian genocide
annually, which was then turned into a motion for the agenda after
Eldad realized the coalition would not allow the legislation to pass.
The meeting also addressed a similar motion put forward by MK Zehava
Gal-On (Meretz), making Armenian genocide one of the few topics agreed
upon by the Knesset factions farthest to the political left and right.
The discussion took place a week after France's lower house of
parliament moved to criminalize Armenian-genocide denial, leading to
a diplomatic crisis between Paris and Ankara.
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said that those who fight Holocaust
denial must not ignore the tragedies of other nations, and it is a
moral imperative that Israel remember the Armenian genocide.
Rivlin said that he made a motion to the agenda on the matter in
1989, but until Monday, it was not discussed openly in the Knesset,
due to political and diplomatic reasons. He added that the issue was
moved from the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, where
it was discussed behind closed doors, to the Education Committee,
with the press present, so that "morals and values" could be discussed.
Gal-On said the meeting was an "exciting moment," bringing to fruition
the efforts of many former and current Meretz MKs over the years.
She called for government ministries to stop using the Armenian
genocide as a tool in Israeli foreign policy. Although Gal-On said that
Israel must not allow "tense" relations with Turkey to deteriorate, she
added that relations with Turkey should be separate from this issue.
"This is the first time we can really discuss this and not sweep
it under the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee's rug: A million
and a half Armenians were murdered in the beginning of World War I,"
Eldad said. "Who remembers them today? We must talk about it, so no
one in the world thinks [genocide] can be committed again."
Eldad accused the government of hypocrisy, saying that at first,
the matter wasn't publicly addressed because relations with Turkey
were strong, and now the same policy stands for the opposite reason.
Coalition chairman Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) said that he is embarrassed
that the Knesset has yet to fulfill its "basic responsibility" in
recognizing the Armenian genocide.
He said "a wall has been broken" in that the Education Committee
discussion was taking place openly, but that progress still needs to
be made.
Elkin also mentioned that in 1939, Hitler cited the fact that Europe
ignored the Armenian genocide to justify his actions.
At the same time, Foreign Ministry representatives in the meeting said
that it would be irresponsible to make any official declarations on
the matter.
The ministry never denied the Armenian genocide, the representatives
explained, but the issue has become political, and Israel prefers
not to be involved, especially because Turkey and Armenia have been
holding an open dialog on the facts and opinions surrounding it.
In addition, only 21 countries have officially recognized the Armenian
genocide, according to the Foreign Ministry, and it would be unfair
to declare all those who haven't immoral.
"We can't disconnect ourselves from reality. The Islamic world is
getting more and more extreme," MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) said,
echoing the Foreign Ministry's stance. "We have to improve our
relationship with Turkey; it's a matter of survival, even if it has
a painful price."
Schneller suggested that the Knesset declare that according to human
and Jewish morality, genocide is unacceptable no matter where it
takes place, be it Armenia, Rwanda or Cambodia. He added that specific
discussion of the Armenian genocide would be irresponsible.
In addition, two representatives of the Israel-Azerbaijan International
Association (AZIZ), denied that genocide took place, saying that
Armenians took the side of Turkey's enemies and were a "fifth column"
in Turkey.
In addition, AZIZ spokesman Arye Gut said that thousands of
Azerbaijanis were killed in war with Armenia, and that Armenia
occupies land Azerbaijan's land. The two countries fought a war
following World War I, and another war from 1988-1994.
Gut told the committee to keep in mind that Turkey helped Jews after
the Spanish Inquisition and during the Holocaust, and that there are
only 300 Jews in Armenia, while 30,000 live in Azerbaijan.
He called for the government not to make any official statements,
and wait for decisions to be made in an international, academic forum.
No vote took place at the end of the meeting, and Knesset Education
Committee chairman Alex Miller (Israel Beiteinu) said that more open
discussions of the Armenian genocide will take place.
From: Baghdasarian