Why Has the Topic of Recognition of the Armenian Genocide been Again Actualized in Israel?

• 01.16.2018, 16:45
•  Region,  Near East,  World,  Armenia

hayastannews.com

In Israel, recently, the topic of recognition of the Armenian Genocide has been again actualized. Thus, at the 44th World Congress, the fact of the Armenian Genocide was officially recognized by the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS). It is noted that this decision is based on the rules of the movement, according to which the Jewish Union is fighting against all forms of racism.

In December 2017, Israeli lawyer Eitay Mac and scientist Yair Auron, who recognized the Armenian Genocide, demanded from the Foreign Ministry to provide data on possible agreements with Turkey and Azerbaijan that they do not recognize the Armenian Genocide.

It should be noted that Israel regularly uses the topic of the recognition of Armenian Genocide to obtain concessions from Turkey. The reason for recent actualization of this topic in Israel is the steps taken by Ankara against the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Turkey responded to Washington's move more negatively than many Arab countries and assumed the role of defender of the Palestinian people on this issue, which, naturally, was not approved by Tel Aviv. Israel raises the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide at an informal level yet, trying to prevent Ankara from overstepping the red lines in the protection of Palestinian rights.  But if Ankara ignores these warnings, it is possible that the issue will be raised at an official level. But we should not expect that Tel Aviv will recognize the Armenian Genocide.

It should be noted that the resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide was submitted nine times to the various committees of the Israeli parliament: six times it was sent to the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, but was never discussed there, and three times to the Committee of Science and Culture. In August 2016, the latter recognized the Armenian Genocide, but the official representative of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Emanuel Nachshon, hastened to report that the evaluation of the Commission does not coincide with the official position of the State of Israel. "Israel does not agree with the statements of the Armenians about the incidents of 1915, and this will never change," he said.