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RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
MidEast Mirror
Oct 31 2011
Writing exclusively in the Hebrew edition of Haaretz, Yaakov Ahimeir
argues that Israel is morally compelled to officially acknowledge
the mass murder of Armenians despite the risk to ties with Turkey.
"With the opening of the Knesset's winter session, one can expect
to once again behold the shame and ignominy with which our lawmakers
conduct themselves. We are accustomed to being embarrassed at their
behavior. But it is fair to say that another layer of disgrace will
be added once, as expected, a measure put forth by MK Aryeh Eldad of
the National Union is defeated by a significant majority.
This is what Eldad, who is unsure of which parliamentarians will
back his bill, predicts. Of one thing he is certain - Meretz will
be on his side. How often do these two strange bedfellows - Meretz
and the National Union - come to agreement on an issue? It is when
that issue involves the obvious, moral imperative in recognizing the
genocide that was perpetrated against the Armenian people.
'We will fight like lions, but we will fall like flies,' Eldad
predicts. During the previous Knesset session, as relations between
Israel and Turkey were in a free fall, the parliament, with the
enthusiastic support of speaker Reuven Rivlin, agreed to Meretz MK
Zehava Gal-On's recommendation to hold a committee discussion on the
significance of the Armenian genocide.
This parliamentary torch was passed onto Gal-On by the previous Meretz
chairman, Haim Oron, who waged a heroic years-long battle on this
issue until his retirement from politics. Indeed, is there anything
more natural for the legislature of the Jewish state than to take a
few steps toward parliaments in the Western and democratic world and
recognize the genocide of the Armenian people?
What seems obvious, however, to some - that a nation that lost a third
of its people in the Holocaust would acknowledge the extermination of
a third of another people - doesn't appear that way to the ministerial
committee on legislation. This panel ruled that the coalition should
remove Eldad's proposal from the agenda.
The reason given is the 'sensitivity' of the matter. In other words,
the sensitivity of Israel's relationship with Turkey is at stake. For
decades, Israeli governments and parliaments have bowed to Turkish
pressure and refrained from recognizing the Armenian genocide,
which was carried out by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. This
disgraceful capitulation was done for the sake of our ties with Turkey.
Strangely, however, this capitulation is being repeated at a time
when ties between Ankara and Jerusalem are frayed. Here is a naïve
question: Should the Armenian genocide be a subject that is dearer
to the hearts of Argentinean lawmakers who recognized this chapter in
history through legislation in 1985? And what about the over 40 U.S.
states who have officially acknowledged the genocide?
French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently called on Turkey to recognize
the mass murder of Armenians. He even went so far as to threaten that
denial of the Armenian genocide - like the denial of the Holocaust
- would constitute a criminal violation in France if the Turkish
government insisted on its refusal. It is very likely that Sarkozy is
attempting to solicit the political support of the sizeable Armenian
community (500,000 citizens) in France, which is preparing to hold a
presidential election. This issue, however, has already cost France
dearly in its relations with Turkey.
Things would look much differently if only a majority of MKs would
oppose the ministerial committee on legislation and support Eldad's
bill. Argentina, yes; France, yes; dozens of other countries, yes.
Will Israel be the only country that votes no? No to the recognition
of genocide?"
MidEast Mirror
Oct 31 2011
Writing exclusively in the Hebrew edition of Haaretz, Yaakov Ahimeir
argues that Israel is morally compelled to officially acknowledge
the mass murder of Armenians despite the risk to ties with Turkey.
"With the opening of the Knesset's winter session, one can expect
to once again behold the shame and ignominy with which our lawmakers
conduct themselves. We are accustomed to being embarrassed at their
behavior. But it is fair to say that another layer of disgrace will
be added once, as expected, a measure put forth by MK Aryeh Eldad of
the National Union is defeated by a significant majority.
This is what Eldad, who is unsure of which parliamentarians will
back his bill, predicts. Of one thing he is certain - Meretz will
be on his side. How often do these two strange bedfellows - Meretz
and the National Union - come to agreement on an issue? It is when
that issue involves the obvious, moral imperative in recognizing the
genocide that was perpetrated against the Armenian people.
'We will fight like lions, but we will fall like flies,' Eldad
predicts. During the previous Knesset session, as relations between
Israel and Turkey were in a free fall, the parliament, with the
enthusiastic support of speaker Reuven Rivlin, agreed to Meretz MK
Zehava Gal-On's recommendation to hold a committee discussion on the
significance of the Armenian genocide.
This parliamentary torch was passed onto Gal-On by the previous Meretz
chairman, Haim Oron, who waged a heroic years-long battle on this
issue until his retirement from politics. Indeed, is there anything
more natural for the legislature of the Jewish state than to take a
few steps toward parliaments in the Western and democratic world and
recognize the genocide of the Armenian people?
What seems obvious, however, to some - that a nation that lost a third
of its people in the Holocaust would acknowledge the extermination of
a third of another people - doesn't appear that way to the ministerial
committee on legislation. This panel ruled that the coalition should
remove Eldad's proposal from the agenda.
The reason given is the 'sensitivity' of the matter. In other words,
the sensitivity of Israel's relationship with Turkey is at stake. For
decades, Israeli governments and parliaments have bowed to Turkish
pressure and refrained from recognizing the Armenian genocide,
which was carried out by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. This
disgraceful capitulation was done for the sake of our ties with Turkey.
Strangely, however, this capitulation is being repeated at a time
when ties between Ankara and Jerusalem are frayed. Here is a naïve
question: Should the Armenian genocide be a subject that is dearer
to the hearts of Argentinean lawmakers who recognized this chapter in
history through legislation in 1985? And what about the over 40 U.S.
states who have officially acknowledged the genocide?
French President Nicolas Sarkozy recently called on Turkey to recognize
the mass murder of Armenians. He even went so far as to threaten that
denial of the Armenian genocide - like the denial of the Holocaust
- would constitute a criminal violation in France if the Turkish
government insisted on its refusal. It is very likely that Sarkozy is
attempting to solicit the political support of the sizeable Armenian
community (500,000 citizens) in France, which is preparing to hold a
presidential election. This issue, however, has already cost France
dearly in its relations with Turkey.
Things would look much differently if only a majority of MKs would
oppose the ministerial committee on legislation and support Eldad's
bill. Argentina, yes; France, yes; dozens of other countries, yes.
Will Israel be the only country that votes no? No to the recognition
of genocide?"