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ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWS DEBATE ON RECOGNIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE.
Jerusalem Post
April 23 2013
Knesset caucus to talk alleged Chinese organ theft
By GIL HOFFMAN
The Knesset's new liberal caucus will hold its inaugural meeting
Wednesday on the subject of the alleged forced removal of organs from
Chinese prisoners of conscience.
The caucus's chairman, Deputy Knesset Speaker Moshe Feiglin (Likud
Beytenu), told the Knesset plenum that he was under Chinese pressure
to cancel the meeting. He said MKs had been pressured not to attend,
because it could lead to an unnecessary fight with China.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called improving relations
with China one of the top priorities of his current term. His office
announced this week that he intends to make a historic visit to China
next month.
Feiglin spoke in the plenum at the end of a debate about the
government's failure to officially recognize the Turkish genocide
of Armenians nearly a century ago. He said that Israel needed to do
what was right despite its diplomatic interests with China, just as
it needed to do so regarding Turkey.
"With the Mavi Marmara ship, we went from being the good guys to
being the bad guys who have to apologize," Feiglin said.
"That proves that when you put your interests ahead of your ethics,
you end up getting hit in the face."
The debate on the Armenian genocide was initiated by Meretz leader
MK Zehava Gal-On, just as past debates on the matter were initiated
by her predecessors at the helm of the party.
"It is time for the government to officially recognize the Armenian
genocide," Gal-On said.
"We have an ethical obligation as Jewish people not to forget any
genocide. It is wrong to tie this issue to the state of relations
with Turkey."
The meeting took place at a sensitive time, because Jerusalem is
currently in negotiations with Ankara on compensation to the families
of Turkish terrorists who were killed after attacking Israeli soldiers
on the Mavi Marmara.
Additionally, there was a visit to Israel this week by the foreign
minister of Azerbaijan, a country that has fought with Armenia.
Nevertheless, almost every MK who spoke at the debate said Israel
should formally recognize the Armenian genocide.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud Beytenu) noted that as a
minister, he went to Armenia at the invitation of the Armenian
government and visited the Armenian Genocide Museum.
Edelstein's predecessor, MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud Beytenu), recalled
historical accounts of Nazi leaders saying that they could get away
with the Final Solution against the Jews because no one stopped
the Armenian genocide. Kadima MK Yisrael Hasson said he started an
Israeli-Armenian Friendship League this week.
"There have been many genocides," Bayit Yehudi faction chairwoman
Ayelet Shaked said.
"We have endured the worst of them. Why do we accept the government
in Ankara not taking responsibility for the slaughtering? We should
insist on this, even if it is uncomfortable and does not serve our
diplomatic interests."
The lone voice against recognizing the Armenian genocide came from
Yesh Atid MK Ruth Calderon, who warned that such a step could endanger
Jews in Turkey.
"We need to be sensitive and not only right but also smart,"
Calderon said.
The plenum referred the matter to the Knesset House Committee for
further debate.
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Knesset-caucus-to-hold-forum-on-alleged-Chinese-organ-theft-310859
Jerusalem Post
April 23 2013
Knesset caucus to talk alleged Chinese organ theft
By GIL HOFFMAN
The Knesset's new liberal caucus will hold its inaugural meeting
Wednesday on the subject of the alleged forced removal of organs from
Chinese prisoners of conscience.
The caucus's chairman, Deputy Knesset Speaker Moshe Feiglin (Likud
Beytenu), told the Knesset plenum that he was under Chinese pressure
to cancel the meeting. He said MKs had been pressured not to attend,
because it could lead to an unnecessary fight with China.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called improving relations
with China one of the top priorities of his current term. His office
announced this week that he intends to make a historic visit to China
next month.
Feiglin spoke in the plenum at the end of a debate about the
government's failure to officially recognize the Turkish genocide
of Armenians nearly a century ago. He said that Israel needed to do
what was right despite its diplomatic interests with China, just as
it needed to do so regarding Turkey.
"With the Mavi Marmara ship, we went from being the good guys to
being the bad guys who have to apologize," Feiglin said.
"That proves that when you put your interests ahead of your ethics,
you end up getting hit in the face."
The debate on the Armenian genocide was initiated by Meretz leader
MK Zehava Gal-On, just as past debates on the matter were initiated
by her predecessors at the helm of the party.
"It is time for the government to officially recognize the Armenian
genocide," Gal-On said.
"We have an ethical obligation as Jewish people not to forget any
genocide. It is wrong to tie this issue to the state of relations
with Turkey."
The meeting took place at a sensitive time, because Jerusalem is
currently in negotiations with Ankara on compensation to the families
of Turkish terrorists who were killed after attacking Israeli soldiers
on the Mavi Marmara.
Additionally, there was a visit to Israel this week by the foreign
minister of Azerbaijan, a country that has fought with Armenia.
Nevertheless, almost every MK who spoke at the debate said Israel
should formally recognize the Armenian genocide.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud Beytenu) noted that as a
minister, he went to Armenia at the invitation of the Armenian
government and visited the Armenian Genocide Museum.
Edelstein's predecessor, MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud Beytenu), recalled
historical accounts of Nazi leaders saying that they could get away
with the Final Solution against the Jews because no one stopped
the Armenian genocide. Kadima MK Yisrael Hasson said he started an
Israeli-Armenian Friendship League this week.
"There have been many genocides," Bayit Yehudi faction chairwoman
Ayelet Shaked said.
"We have endured the worst of them. Why do we accept the government
in Ankara not taking responsibility for the slaughtering? We should
insist on this, even if it is uncomfortable and does not serve our
diplomatic interests."
The lone voice against recognizing the Armenian genocide came from
Yesh Atid MK Ruth Calderon, who warned that such a step could endanger
Jews in Turkey.
"We need to be sensitive and not only right but also smart,"
Calderon said.
The plenum referred the matter to the Knesset House Committee for
further debate.
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Knesset-caucus-to-hold-forum-on-alleged-Chinese-organ-theft-310859