Genocide Commemoration Day bill to be discussed at June 22 Knesset plenary sitting

PanARMENIAN.Net - Israel's Armenian community and Hay Dat Jerusalem Office set major hopes on the discussion of a bill on Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day in Israel.

As Georgetta Avakian, head of Hay Dat Jerusalem Office told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, the draft law will be discussed at Knesset plenary sitting on June 22. “We've got in touch with parliamentarians urging them to pass the bill. We're grateful to the draft law initiator Aryeh Eldad and hope Israel will sooner or later recognise the Armenian Genocide,” she said.

The Israeli ministerial legislative committee has rejected an Armenian Genocide bill submitted by Knesset member Aryeh Eldad.

Eldad suggested that the Armenian Genocide should be included in the school curriculum and taught on every April 24 to be declared the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. He called on the government “not to be afraid of Turkey.”

Eldad is confident that “the parliamentarians support his initiative but are scared to vote in favour.” “Unfortunately, I was not present at the discussion, but I am not going to give up and will raise the issue at the Knesset’s plenary session,” he said.

In May, Knesset transferred discussion of a bill on recognition of the Armenian Genocide to the committee on culture and education. Meanwhile, members of Israel Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) party exclude possibility of its adoption.