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'WE DON'T WANT THIS TO END WITH A DISCUSSION': KNESSET COMMITTEE POSTPONES VOTING ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
epress.am
12.26.2011
Amid heightened tensions between Turkey and France, after the latter
passed a bill criminalizing the denial of genocide, the Knesset's
Education Committee on Monday held a session on recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, Ynetnews reports.
"This subject is being discussed in the Knesset today regardless of
the recent negative developments between Israel and Turkey," said
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, who attended the hearing.
"There is an element of recognition - as the State of Israel - that
we will not ignore another people's calamity, despite diplomatic
pressures and the current political situation.
"We believe that as humans, as Jews and as citizens of the State of
Israel - along with members of Knesset that are not Jewish - we must
put the subject on the national agenda. We stand before the world
with the utmost moral demand," he said.
The Knesset speaker added that "even the Turks understand that we
cannot ignore our commitment as people, as Jews and as citizens
of Israel."
MK Zahava Gal-On, chair of the Meretz faction, said that "acknowledging
the horrors that took place in the past should not affect future
relations with Turkey.
"[Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdgoan's statements are made
to create internal propaganda," the member of Knesset noted, adding
that the Turkey will find a way to preserve its diplomatic ties with
Israel based on common interests.
Gal-On stated that the Knesset must take a clear position on the
Armenian Genocide after long years of silence. "The moral duty to
recognize the Armenian Genocide is not a partisan issue.
"As a daughter to the Jewish people, who underwent a holocaust that
has no precedent in human memory, we have the moral duty to show
sensitivity to the calamity of other nations," she said.
"A million and a half people were butchered. I know this is a sensitive
topic, and that throughout the years it has been used as a foreign
policy tool in the hands of Israel's governments, but we have a moral
duty. It is inconceivable that our school curriculums are silent on
the Armenian Genocide," she said.
Former member of Knesset Haim Oron, who has been dealing with the
subject for many years, added: "We don't want this to end with
this discussion, but with a statement that expresses the Knesset's
recognition of the Armenian Genocide."
Three years ago the Foreign Ministry tried to thwart a hearing dealing
with the Armenian Genocide, but this time officials in the ministry
presented a different view, claiming that the subject should be
determined "by historians, not politicians."
National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror asked Knesset Speaker Reuven
Rivlin to postpone the discussion, but Rivlin refused, saying: "As a
nation that has suffered through a holocaust, we cannot ignore this
issue, and therefore the hearing will be held as scheduled."
At the end of today's meeting, the committee postponed voting on
the resolution, to provide time for the deputies to study Armenian
Genocide resolutions approved by the parliaments of other countries.
epress.am
12.26.2011
Amid heightened tensions between Turkey and France, after the latter
passed a bill criminalizing the denial of genocide, the Knesset's
Education Committee on Monday held a session on recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, Ynetnews reports.
"This subject is being discussed in the Knesset today regardless of
the recent negative developments between Israel and Turkey," said
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, who attended the hearing.
"There is an element of recognition - as the State of Israel - that
we will not ignore another people's calamity, despite diplomatic
pressures and the current political situation.
"We believe that as humans, as Jews and as citizens of the State of
Israel - along with members of Knesset that are not Jewish - we must
put the subject on the national agenda. We stand before the world
with the utmost moral demand," he said.
The Knesset speaker added that "even the Turks understand that we
cannot ignore our commitment as people, as Jews and as citizens
of Israel."
MK Zahava Gal-On, chair of the Meretz faction, said that "acknowledging
the horrors that took place in the past should not affect future
relations with Turkey.
"[Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdgoan's statements are made
to create internal propaganda," the member of Knesset noted, adding
that the Turkey will find a way to preserve its diplomatic ties with
Israel based on common interests.
Gal-On stated that the Knesset must take a clear position on the
Armenian Genocide after long years of silence. "The moral duty to
recognize the Armenian Genocide is not a partisan issue.
"As a daughter to the Jewish people, who underwent a holocaust that
has no precedent in human memory, we have the moral duty to show
sensitivity to the calamity of other nations," she said.
"A million and a half people were butchered. I know this is a sensitive
topic, and that throughout the years it has been used as a foreign
policy tool in the hands of Israel's governments, but we have a moral
duty. It is inconceivable that our school curriculums are silent on
the Armenian Genocide," she said.
Former member of Knesset Haim Oron, who has been dealing with the
subject for many years, added: "We don't want this to end with
this discussion, but with a statement that expresses the Knesset's
recognition of the Armenian Genocide."
Three years ago the Foreign Ministry tried to thwart a hearing dealing
with the Armenian Genocide, but this time officials in the ministry
presented a different view, claiming that the subject should be
determined "by historians, not politicians."
National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror asked Knesset Speaker Reuven
Rivlin to postpone the discussion, but Rivlin refused, saying: "As a
nation that has suffered through a holocaust, we cannot ignore this
issue, and therefore the hearing will be held as scheduled."
At the end of today's meeting, the committee postponed voting on
the resolution, to provide time for the deputies to study Armenian
Genocide resolutions approved by the parliaments of other countries.