Why Isreal Does Not Recognize the Armenian Genocide?

• 08.07.2016, 19:11
•  Near East,  World,  Armenia

hayastannews.com

Former Israeli lawmaker, founder of the Israel-Armenia inter-parliamentary friendship group Alexander Tsinker says it is possible to achieve the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Israel, however, serious works should be done towards that path.

"In the recent years it is the third time that the issue of the Armenian Genocide is being raised in the Israeli Parliament. Previously it has always remained in the committees without having further developments, but now in less than a month, the committee discusses it and decides to recognize the 1915 massacres as genocide," said Alexander Tsinkerin said in an interview with Armenpress.

According to him, this phase of the process is very important and it is necessary to properly carry out lobbying not only in Parliament, but also among the Israeli public.

It should be noted for 9 times the draft resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide has been submittedto the various committees of the Israeli Parliament. Only six times it was submitted to the foreign affairs and security committee but never discussed, and three times it was sent to the Education, Science and Culture Commission. In 2015 the Commission organized an open discussion and a decision was made to introduce it during a plenary session of the Knesset in 2016.

On July 5, by the initiative of the "Meretz" party president Zehava Gallon, Israeli Parliament discussed the issue of the Armenian Genocide. As a result, the Armenian Genocide resolution was sent to the Education, Culture and Sports Commission. On August 1, the Commission recognized the Armenian Genocide.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nakhshone stated that the Commission's assessment does not coincide with the official position of the state of Israel. "Israel does not agree with the claims of Armenians on the events of 1915, and this will never change," Nakhshone said.

Experts note that the main reason for not recognizing the Armenian Genocide by Israel is the constant pressure from Turkey on this issue and the concerns of some groups of the Israeli society that the recognition of the Armenian genocide will harm the uniqueness of the Holocaust. Thus, in 2001, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said that the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust cannot be compared, since the first case was a tragedy, not genocide.

Experts also stress the factor of Azerbaijan. Genocide recognition will spoil relations with Azerbaijan, which has a strategic importance for the anti-Iranian policy.

Not less important factors are the Jewish communities of Azerbaijan and Turkey. Ankara and Baku threaten that prosecutions will be launched against Jewish communities in case of Armenian genocide recognition.

Referring to ordinary Israelis on the issue of Armenian Genocide, it should be noted that, according to various opinion polls, the majority of them believe that Israel has a moral duty to recognize the Armenian Genocide.