03 04 2008 - Historical decision or historical mistake of the Knesset?

Historical decision or historical mistake of the Knesset?
In their fight against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide the Israeli researchers have taken a rather improper role: they consider the Holocaust a unique phenomenon, incomparable with any genocide in the entire history of humanity.
27.03.2008 GMT+04:00
In the evening on March 26 something that the Armenians wouldn't even dream about happened; those who are for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide managed to have the first success in the Knesset. As the newspaper "Haaretz" writes, instead of the minister of foreign affairs Tsipi Livni ("Kadima"), the government's viewpoint was introduced by the minister of agriculture Shalom Simkhon ("Avod"). He delivered his objections regarding the reconsideration of the given issue at the plenary session, however he unexpectedly agreed with the initiative of the deputy Zeyev Elkin ("Kadima"), the chairman of the Parliamentary Association of the Israeli-Armenian friendship, who suggested bringing out the issue of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As a result, the deputies unanimously voted for the discussion of this topic at the session of the Parliamentary Commission on Education. True, the deputy Iossif Shagal ("Our Home Israel"), the chairman of the Parliamentary
Association of Israeli-Azerbaijani friendship expressed his fears that the discussion of the given issue "will negatively effect on Israeli relations with Turkey, as well as with Azerbaijan, where our compatriots live." However, Zeyev Elkin insisted on his viewpoint, saying: "Today's decision may be considered historical, after all for the first time Knesset included the issue of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in its agenda. The French Parliament and the American Congress, as well as the Legislative Assembly of many other countries recognized the Genocide of the Armenian people, and it is time for the Israeli Knesset to at least start the discussions of this issue."

In this regard, it is timely to remind, that the history of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Israel started already in the days of the first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Being in isolation in the Near East beginning of the 50's after the first Arab-Israeli war, Israel was extremely interested in finding allies in this region. However, Israel didn't have much choice; among all the Islamic countries, Turkey was the only one who recognized Israel's independence in 1949. Another important factor between these two countries is the military-technical cooperation and water problem. Israel suffers lack of water, and if Turkey forbids the access to the river Ephrat, Israel will simply dry up.

In their fight against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide the Israeli researchers have taken a rather improper role: they consider the Holocaust a unique phenomenon, incomparable with any genocide in the entire history of humanity. Tel-Aviv shares the same viewpoint. And it was best expressed by Shimon Peres, in April, 2001 before his visit to Turkey; then he was the minister of foreign affairs. He announced that "it makes no sense to assure that the Armenians, like the Jews, suffered Genocide. Regarding the Genocide issue, the Armenians and the Jews are incomparable." In fact the same was declared by Rivka Koen, who that time was the Ambassador of Armenia and Georgia to Israel: "the Holocaust a unique phenomenon, incomparable with any genocide in the entire history of humanity." Then these words became the
reason of almost a diplomatic scandal between Armenia and Israel.

How the events will develop in future, is not hard to predict: Turkey has rolled mechanisms for this. Sometimes these mechanisms work, for instant with the USA; sometimes - they don't, like it happened with the case of Europe. But the fact that Israel will have to be under strong pressure from Ankara.

Meanwhile, according to the acting director of the Institute Holocaust and Genocide, the editor-in-chief of the Genocide Encyclopedia, professor of psychology Charni, the nation and society of Israel recognize the Armenian Genocide. "In our nation there are three people who openly speak about the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. They are professor Yair Auron, Iossi Sarid and I. All the others keep silent out of political reasons. Israel is in an Islamic environment and the most important thing is that it depends on Turkey in water issue. For this reason the government doesn't speak out about the event of 1915. True, the general rabbi of Israel Iona Metsger, who has visited the Genocide Memorial in Tsitsernakaberd and who has practically recognized the Armenian Genocide, was in Yerevan in 2006. I think this is a wonderful example. The senior rabbi of Israel has a very important role, but on the other hand doesn't represent the government,' emphasized professor Charni. The Israeli researcher emphasized that it doesn't matter when and against whom the crime was committed. "Genocide is genocide, be it the Holocaust, mass killings of the gypsies by Germany, Darfur or Rwanda. I always ask myself the question: why do people recognize the Holocaust but not the Armenian Genocide?" he said.

The day before the JCRC spoke for the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 1915. JCRC confirms the political announcement of 1989, with which the Council expressed its support for the resolution on the Armenian Genocide in the US Senate. According to the Senate Resolution 212, April 24 is announced the national day to honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
«PanARMENIAN.Net» analytical department

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