Tweet
Today's Zaman, Turkey
June 13 2012
Knesset's political debate on 1915 event does not alter facts, Turkey says
June 2012 / TODAY'S ZAMAN, ANKARA
Turkish diplomatic sources have emphasized that debate in the Israeli
parliament over whether to recognize the 1915 mass killings of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks as an act of genocide will not affect
Turkey's stance on the issue, adding that the debate does not alter
the facts.
A Turkish diplomatic source told Today's Zaman the basic starting
point for Turkey is that the events of 1915, or any other historical
event, should be discussed by historians rather than parliaments.
`Parliaments dealing with this issue do not bring any benefit.
Additionally, this kind of step does not contribute to the process. It
undermines the work of historians and both countries,' said the
official.
The debate was initiated last Tuesday by an Israeli cabinet minister's
remark that the Jewish state ought to change its policy and recognize
the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as an act of
genocide.
"I think it is definitely fitting that the Israeli government formally
recognize the Holocaust perpetrated against the Armenian people," said
Gilad Erdan, Israel's minister of environmental affairs, adding that
the Israeli government had not formally changed its policy on the past
tragedy of the Armenians and that Israel should definitely support an
open and thorough discussion analyzing the data and facts.
A Turkish diplomatic official, when asked whether such a move by
Israel would interfere with ongoing processes between Turkey and
Armenia, stated that no decision taken by the parliament of any
nation, including Israel, would affect Turkey's stance on the issue.
`Our stance, thought and decision is clear. Additionally, the Armenian
court's decision is also clear. The decision taken by the Armenian
court is actually blocking the process,' said the official, adding
that an explanation for the timing of the debate taking place in the
Knesset should be requested from Israeli officials.
Arieh Eldad of the ultranationalist National Union dismissed
accusations that raising the issue now was ill-timed. "A few years ago
people said we couldn't talk about it because of our good relations
with Turkey. Now people say we can't talk about it because of our bad
relations with Turkey," said Eldad, adding that when people are
reluctant to address moral and ethical issues there is always a claim
that the timing of such a discussion is wrong.
Meanwhile, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin denied the debate was related
to deteriorating ties with Turkey, saying there was no intention to
provoke Turkey. `The Turks will definitely be angry, but there is no
intention to provoke, only to remember," he told Israel's Army Radio.
`Those who demand recognition of the massacre are not engaged in
lobbying, they are simply seeking historic justice. The free world
must learn these lessons so it won't happen again,' said Rivlin.
Israel has long avoided acknowledging the mass killings of Armenians
as genocide, in deference to already strained ties with Turkey, which
was until recently its closest ally in the Muslim world.
Turkish-Israeli relations worsened in May 2010 when Israeli naval
commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, a ship carrying humanitarian aid
to breach Israel's Gaza blockade, killing eight Turkish nationals and
one US citizen. Relations have remained strained since then.
Armenian historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Christian
Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks during World War I in a
deliberate policy of genocide.
Turkish governments and the majority of Turks deny the charge of
genocide, arguing that there was heavy loss of life on both sides
during conflict in the area.
June 13 2012
Knesset's political debate on 1915 event does not alter facts, Turkey says
June 2012 / TODAY'S ZAMAN, ANKARA
Turkish diplomatic sources have emphasized that debate in the Israeli
parliament over whether to recognize the 1915 mass killings of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks as an act of genocide will not affect
Turkey's stance on the issue, adding that the debate does not alter
the facts.
A Turkish diplomatic source told Today's Zaman the basic starting
point for Turkey is that the events of 1915, or any other historical
event, should be discussed by historians rather than parliaments.
`Parliaments dealing with this issue do not bring any benefit.
Additionally, this kind of step does not contribute to the process. It
undermines the work of historians and both countries,' said the
official.
The debate was initiated last Tuesday by an Israeli cabinet minister's
remark that the Jewish state ought to change its policy and recognize
the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as an act of
genocide.
"I think it is definitely fitting that the Israeli government formally
recognize the Holocaust perpetrated against the Armenian people," said
Gilad Erdan, Israel's minister of environmental affairs, adding that
the Israeli government had not formally changed its policy on the past
tragedy of the Armenians and that Israel should definitely support an
open and thorough discussion analyzing the data and facts.
A Turkish diplomatic official, when asked whether such a move by
Israel would interfere with ongoing processes between Turkey and
Armenia, stated that no decision taken by the parliament of any
nation, including Israel, would affect Turkey's stance on the issue.
`Our stance, thought and decision is clear. Additionally, the Armenian
court's decision is also clear. The decision taken by the Armenian
court is actually blocking the process,' said the official, adding
that an explanation for the timing of the debate taking place in the
Knesset should be requested from Israeli officials.
Arieh Eldad of the ultranationalist National Union dismissed
accusations that raising the issue now was ill-timed. "A few years ago
people said we couldn't talk about it because of our good relations
with Turkey. Now people say we can't talk about it because of our bad
relations with Turkey," said Eldad, adding that when people are
reluctant to address moral and ethical issues there is always a claim
that the timing of such a discussion is wrong.
Meanwhile, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin denied the debate was related
to deteriorating ties with Turkey, saying there was no intention to
provoke Turkey. `The Turks will definitely be angry, but there is no
intention to provoke, only to remember," he told Israel's Army Radio.
`Those who demand recognition of the massacre are not engaged in
lobbying, they are simply seeking historic justice. The free world
must learn these lessons so it won't happen again,' said Rivlin.
Israel has long avoided acknowledging the mass killings of Armenians
as genocide, in deference to already strained ties with Turkey, which
was until recently its closest ally in the Muslim world.
Turkish-Israeli relations worsened in May 2010 when Israeli naval
commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, a ship carrying humanitarian aid
to breach Israel's Gaza blockade, killing eight Turkish nationals and
one US citizen. Relations have remained strained since then.
Armenian historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Christian
Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks during World War I in a
deliberate policy of genocide.
Turkish governments and the majority of Turks deny the charge of
genocide, arguing that there was heavy loss of life on both sides
during conflict in the area.