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The Herald (Glasgow)
December 27, 2011 Tuesday
1 Edition
Israelis debate 1915 genocide
JERUSALEM
Israeli lawmakers yesterday debated recognising the 1915 mass killing
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide but were warned by the
Foreign Ministry about further damage to relations with Turkey.
The issue has stirred deep emotions in Israel, where some legislators
have said the Jewish people, who suffered six million dead in the Nazi
Holocaust, have a moral obligation to identify the Armenian tragedy,
even at the risk of a Turkish backlash.
No decision was taken by parliament s Education and Culture Committee,
which said it would hold another session at a future date.
I can say that at this time, recognition of this type can have very
grave strategic implications, said Irit Lillian, a Foreign Ministry
official. Our relations with Turkey today are so fragile that there is
no place to take them over the red line, she added.
Ties between the two former allies were strained by Israel s killing
of nine Turks in a commando raid on a Gaza-bound ship in 2010. Turkey
withdrew its ambassador to Israel after the incident.
Zahava Gal-On, from the left-wing Meretz party, said Israel has a
moral and historical obligation ... to recognise the genocide of the
Armenian people and ensure the subject is taught in its schools.
Last week, Turkey cancelled all meetings with France after the French
National Assembly voted in favour of a draft law outlawing genocide
denial.
Armenia, backed by many historians, says about 1.5 million Christian
Armenians were killed in what is now eastern Turkey during World War
One. Successive Turkish governments feel the charge of genocide is an
insult to their nation.
December 27, 2011 Tuesday
1 Edition
Israelis debate 1915 genocide
JERUSALEM
Israeli lawmakers yesterday debated recognising the 1915 mass killing
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide but were warned by the
Foreign Ministry about further damage to relations with Turkey.
The issue has stirred deep emotions in Israel, where some legislators
have said the Jewish people, who suffered six million dead in the Nazi
Holocaust, have a moral obligation to identify the Armenian tragedy,
even at the risk of a Turkish backlash.
No decision was taken by parliament s Education and Culture Committee,
which said it would hold another session at a future date.
I can say that at this time, recognition of this type can have very
grave strategic implications, said Irit Lillian, a Foreign Ministry
official. Our relations with Turkey today are so fragile that there is
no place to take them over the red line, she added.
Ties between the two former allies were strained by Israel s killing
of nine Turks in a commando raid on a Gaza-bound ship in 2010. Turkey
withdrew its ambassador to Israel after the incident.
Zahava Gal-On, from the left-wing Meretz party, said Israel has a
moral and historical obligation ... to recognise the genocide of the
Armenian people and ensure the subject is taught in its schools.
Last week, Turkey cancelled all meetings with France after the French
National Assembly voted in favour of a draft law outlawing genocide
denial.
Armenia, backed by many historians, says about 1.5 million Christian
Armenians were killed in what is now eastern Turkey during World War
One. Successive Turkish governments feel the charge of genocide is an
insult to their nation.