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'GENOCIDE' IN ARMENIA IS NOT FOR ISRAEL TO DECIDE
by Mark Meirowitz
New Jersey Jewish News
http://www.njjewishnews.com/article/7871/genocide-in-armenia-is-not-for-israel-to-decide
Jan 11 2012
The Education Committee of the Israel Knesset recently held open
hearings on whether the events in Armenia in 1915-18 should be defined
as "genocide." The committee closed the hearing without taking any
action. Hopefully, the Israeli Knesset will not take any further action
on this issue, since it is not appropriate for the State of Israel
to become the arbiter and decider of whether the events in Armenia -
or any other historical event for that matter, with the exception of
the Nazi Holocaust - are or are not properly defined as genocide.
The Knesset's taking up this issue is part of a trend in which
legislatures of various countries have considered (and made
determinations on) the question of whether the events in Armenia
constituted genocide. Most recently, the lower house of the French
legislature passed a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the
events in Armenia were genocide (this bill still requires approval
of the French Senate to become law). It seems quite hypocritical
for the French - whose Vichy government collaborated with the Nazis
to implement the genocidal Holocaust in France - to sit in judgment
of others.
Regretfully, words like "genocide" and "Holocaust," used outside the
context of the Shoa, have become terms of political dynamite with
meanings light-years away from their significance in the context
of the Nazi genocide against the Jewish people. The careless and
inappropriate use of the term "genocide" outside the context of the
Jewish Holocaust diminishes the significance and uniqueness of the
Nazi genocide against the Jewish people.
Some have suggested that politicians in the Knesset took up the
Armenia issue to retaliate against Turkey for its actions against
Israel (including the expulsion by Turkey of Israel's ambassador in
connection with the Gaza flotilla debacle). However, this strategy
could backfire to the detriment of Israel, because further action
on this issue could interfere with efforts to repair and reinstate
relations between Ankara and Jerusalem, and could even terminate
relations entirely. Even the Israeli Foreign Ministry - whose head,
Avigdor Lieberman, has been a sharp critic of Turkey - urged the
Knesset not to take up the Armenia issue.
Because of developments in Iran and the Middle East, it is very likely
that the interests of Turkey and Israel will converge at some point in
the future, and that Turkey, Israel, and the United States will have
to work together to maintain stability in the region. Further Israeli
actions on the Armenia issue could disrupt efforts at achieving peace
and stability in the region.
It is also important to mention that Turkey and Armenia agreed
to protocols in 2009 to normalize their relations. One aspect of
this agreement was the establishment of a historical sub-commission
consisting of Armenian, Turkish, and international experts to perform
an impartial scientific review of historical archives relating to
the events in Armenia. These protocols, unfortunately, are in limbo
because the parliaments of Turkey and Armenia have not ratified them.
The United States is in favor of their ratification.
Turkey and Armenia need to move forward with the protocols and also
establish the historical sub-commission to perform the historical
analysis of the events in Armenia. This is a job for the historians,
not the politicians. Historians are divided on the Armenia issue, and
even distinguished historians such as Bernard Lewis and Steven Katz
have taken the position that the events in Armenia did not constitute
"genocide."
As people of conscience, Jews have given the world the gift of
human compassion. However, we must also be vigilant and oppose
the mischaracterization of historical events, other than the Jewish
Holocaust, as genocide. We must never forget, as Steven Katz tells us,
that the Holocaust was "unique" because "never before has a state set
out, as a matter of intentional principle...to annihilate physically
every man, woman, and child belonging to a specific people."
Finally, Israel's further involvement in this issue can only lead
to problems and difficulties, and will provide no benefit - moral,
political, or otherwise - for Israel at this time of crisis in the
Middle East.
Mark Meirowitz is a business lawyer in New York City. He holds a
doctorate in politics and has taught politics, history, and law at
colleges in the New York area.
by Mark Meirowitz
New Jersey Jewish News
http://www.njjewishnews.com/article/7871/genocide-in-armenia-is-not-for-israel-to-decide
Jan 11 2012
The Education Committee of the Israel Knesset recently held open
hearings on whether the events in Armenia in 1915-18 should be defined
as "genocide." The committee closed the hearing without taking any
action. Hopefully, the Israeli Knesset will not take any further action
on this issue, since it is not appropriate for the State of Israel
to become the arbiter and decider of whether the events in Armenia -
or any other historical event for that matter, with the exception of
the Nazi Holocaust - are or are not properly defined as genocide.
The Knesset's taking up this issue is part of a trend in which
legislatures of various countries have considered (and made
determinations on) the question of whether the events in Armenia
constituted genocide. Most recently, the lower house of the French
legislature passed a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the
events in Armenia were genocide (this bill still requires approval
of the French Senate to become law). It seems quite hypocritical
for the French - whose Vichy government collaborated with the Nazis
to implement the genocidal Holocaust in France - to sit in judgment
of others.
Regretfully, words like "genocide" and "Holocaust," used outside the
context of the Shoa, have become terms of political dynamite with
meanings light-years away from their significance in the context
of the Nazi genocide against the Jewish people. The careless and
inappropriate use of the term "genocide" outside the context of the
Jewish Holocaust diminishes the significance and uniqueness of the
Nazi genocide against the Jewish people.
Some have suggested that politicians in the Knesset took up the
Armenia issue to retaliate against Turkey for its actions against
Israel (including the expulsion by Turkey of Israel's ambassador in
connection with the Gaza flotilla debacle). However, this strategy
could backfire to the detriment of Israel, because further action
on this issue could interfere with efforts to repair and reinstate
relations between Ankara and Jerusalem, and could even terminate
relations entirely. Even the Israeli Foreign Ministry - whose head,
Avigdor Lieberman, has been a sharp critic of Turkey - urged the
Knesset not to take up the Armenia issue.
Because of developments in Iran and the Middle East, it is very likely
that the interests of Turkey and Israel will converge at some point in
the future, and that Turkey, Israel, and the United States will have
to work together to maintain stability in the region. Further Israeli
actions on the Armenia issue could disrupt efforts at achieving peace
and stability in the region.
It is also important to mention that Turkey and Armenia agreed
to protocols in 2009 to normalize their relations. One aspect of
this agreement was the establishment of a historical sub-commission
consisting of Armenian, Turkish, and international experts to perform
an impartial scientific review of historical archives relating to
the events in Armenia. These protocols, unfortunately, are in limbo
because the parliaments of Turkey and Armenia have not ratified them.
The United States is in favor of their ratification.
Turkey and Armenia need to move forward with the protocols and also
establish the historical sub-commission to perform the historical
analysis of the events in Armenia. This is a job for the historians,
not the politicians. Historians are divided on the Armenia issue, and
even distinguished historians such as Bernard Lewis and Steven Katz
have taken the position that the events in Armenia did not constitute
"genocide."
As people of conscience, Jews have given the world the gift of
human compassion. However, we must also be vigilant and oppose
the mischaracterization of historical events, other than the Jewish
Holocaust, as genocide. We must never forget, as Steven Katz tells us,
that the Holocaust was "unique" because "never before has a state set
out, as a matter of intentional principle...to annihilate physically
every man, woman, and child belonging to a specific people."
Finally, Israel's further involvement in this issue can only lead
to problems and difficulties, and will provide no benefit - moral,
political, or otherwise - for Israel at this time of crisis in the
Middle East.
Mark Meirowitz is a business lawyer in New York City. He holds a
doctorate in politics and has taught politics, history, and law at
colleges in the New York area.