Tweet
ISRAELI KNESSET'S ARMENIA MOVE NOT A 'COUNTERATTACK
FULYA OZERKAN
ANKARA - Hurriyet Daily News
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Israeli parliament, or Knesset's, decision to discuss the 1915 events
in a parliamentary committee is not a counterattack in response to
plans for a new flotilla bound for Gaza next month, said a diplomatic
source familiar with the issue on Tuesday.
"I don't think so. It has no connection. The flotilla issue was not
raised by any of the Knesset members in the plenary session last week,"
said the source.
"It [the Armenia issue] comes up again and again at the plenary floor
by the same party." Israel's left-wing Meretz party is calling for
the Jewish state's recognition of Armenian genocide allegations.
Last week, the Israeli Parliament gave approval at a plenary session
for the discussion of the Armenian genocide bill at the education
committee.
"It is a general decision. We'll see. It is just a plan. There is no
date. There is not even planned content for what will be discussed
in the future," the source said.
Different from the past, the issue, if approved, will be discussed by
the education committee, instead of the defense and foreign relations
committee.
"Even though in the past there were a few decisions to discuss
the matter in the foreign relations committee, it has never been
raised thus far. Only the plenary decided it will be discussed in
the committee and then the head of the committee chose not to bring
it up," the source said.
"I will not say if that is going to happen again. There are chances
that it is going to be discussed, but even if it is going to be
discussed, the education committee cannot oblige the government to
take action."
Any decision made by the education committee on the issue is
non-binding and it is up to the Israeli government to implement it.
The committee decision, if taken by majority and accepted by the
Israeli government, can only have impact on the country's educational
curriculum.
"It is not about Israeli parliament recognizing [the so-called Armenian
genocide claims] or not recognizing them. It was not an issue in the
plenary. The representative of the Israeli government has repeated,
in his answer to the Knesset members, the old, known Israeli point
of view regarding this issue," said the source.
FULYA OZERKAN
ANKARA - Hurriyet Daily News
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Israeli parliament, or Knesset's, decision to discuss the 1915 events
in a parliamentary committee is not a counterattack in response to
plans for a new flotilla bound for Gaza next month, said a diplomatic
source familiar with the issue on Tuesday.
"I don't think so. It has no connection. The flotilla issue was not
raised by any of the Knesset members in the plenary session last week,"
said the source.
"It [the Armenia issue] comes up again and again at the plenary floor
by the same party." Israel's left-wing Meretz party is calling for
the Jewish state's recognition of Armenian genocide allegations.
Last week, the Israeli Parliament gave approval at a plenary session
for the discussion of the Armenian genocide bill at the education
committee.
"It is a general decision. We'll see. It is just a plan. There is no
date. There is not even planned content for what will be discussed
in the future," the source said.
Different from the past, the issue, if approved, will be discussed by
the education committee, instead of the defense and foreign relations
committee.
"Even though in the past there were a few decisions to discuss
the matter in the foreign relations committee, it has never been
raised thus far. Only the plenary decided it will be discussed in
the committee and then the head of the committee chose not to bring
it up," the source said.
"I will not say if that is going to happen again. There are chances
that it is going to be discussed, but even if it is going to be
discussed, the education committee cannot oblige the government to
take action."
Any decision made by the education committee on the issue is
non-binding and it is up to the Israeli government to implement it.
The committee decision, if taken by majority and accepted by the
Israeli government, can only have impact on the country's educational
curriculum.
"It is not about Israeli parliament recognizing [the so-called Armenian
genocide claims] or not recognizing them. It was not an issue in the
plenary. The representative of the Israeli government has repeated,
in his answer to the Knesset members, the old, known Israeli point
of view regarding this issue," said the source.