Israeli Government Does Not Recognize Armenian Genocide Owing to Political Reasons
The people and society of Israel recognize the Armenian Genocide . However, the question is not raised at the level of the Government, Executive Director of the Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide, Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Genocide, Psychology Professor Israel Charny stated in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, at the state level only former Minister of Culture of Israel Yossi Sarid recognized the Armenian Genocide.
«There are three people in our state, who openly speak of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. These are Professor Yair Auron, Yossi Sarid and I. All others keep silent due to political considerations. Israel is in an Islamic circle and most importantly it depends on Turkey in water supplies. Proceeding from this the Israeli Government is silent on the events in 1915. Though Israeli chief rabbi Yona Metzger visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan and in fact recognized the tragedy in 1915 as a genocide, which is a good precedent. The chief rabbi has much influence, but he does not represent the Israeli Government," Charny underscored.
The Israeli scholar also remarked that for a crime committed it is not important when it was committed and against whom. «Genocide is a genocide: whether it is 1915, Holocaust, annihilation of Gypsy population in Hitler Germany, Darfur, Rwanda. I always ask: why people recognize Holocaust and keep silent on the Armenian Genocide?» he said.
As of addressing the International Criminal Tribunal, Charny believes «it is a game.» In his opinion, only Europe is able to make Turkey recognize the Genocide. «If Turks really want accession to the EU, they should recognize the Armenian Genocide. This is one of compulsory conditions,» Executive Director of the Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide underscored.
«There are three people in our state, who openly speak of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. These are Professor Yair Auron, Yossi Sarid and I. All others keep silent due to political considerations. Israel is in an Islamic circle and most importantly it depends on Turkey in water supplies. Proceeding from this the Israeli Government is silent on the events in 1915. Though Israeli chief rabbi Yona Metzger visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan and in fact recognized the tragedy in 1915 as a genocide, which is a good precedent. The chief rabbi has much influence, but he does not represent the Israeli Government," Charny underscored.
The Israeli scholar also remarked that for a crime committed it is not important when it was committed and against whom. «Genocide is a genocide: whether it is 1915, Holocaust, annihilation of Gypsy population in Hitler Germany, Darfur, Rwanda. I always ask: why people recognize Holocaust and keep silent on the Armenian Genocide?» he said.
As of addressing the International Criminal Tribunal, Charny believes «it is a game.» In his opinion, only Europe is able to make Turkey recognize the Genocide. «If Turks really want accession to the EU, they should recognize the Armenian Genocide. This is one of compulsory conditions,» Executive Director of the Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide underscored.
