ADL Concerned about Anti-Jewish Climate in Turkey, Maintains Position
on Genocide
By Armenian Weekly Staff
January 17, 2010

WASHINGTON (A.W)-As diplomatic row between Israel and Turkey
continues, attempts are being made by the Israel lobby in the U.S. to
infuse some calm. On Jan. 16, The Jerusalem Post reported that the
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) found the appointment of Namik Tan as
ambassador to the United States a welcome move, since Tan is a former
ambassador to Israel and, before that, has served as a liaison with
the Jewish community in Washington. Tan replaced Nabi Sensoy as
ambassador when the latter abruptly resigned in December.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Jess Hordes, the director of ADL’s
Washington office said, `I would like to think there was a certain
calculation in sending him. The fact that he’s known in Washington, on
the Hill, and that he’s worked with the Jewish community, which he
served in Israel, I would like to think that that’s [one] way of
sending a positive signal.’

`1915 was a genocide, but…’

Hordes added that the ADL’s position on the Armenian Genocide had not
changed. `We continue to believe that there was a genocide, but
there’s no useful purpose in the House or the Senate passing a
resolution on it at this time. It’s a principled post that the better
way of addressing this issue is for the Armenians and the Turks to
move forward with this through the historical commission,’ Hordes
said.

Concern about `anti-Jewish climate’

On Jan. 13, the ADL issued a statement renewing `its concern that
Turkish society is becoming increasingly and openly hostile to Jews
and Israel – with harmful statements by government officials and hateful
depictions in the mass media.’

`We continue to be concerned about a new environment in Turkey which
permits and even encourages extreme expressions regarding Jews and
Israel,’ said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. `We cannot
ignore this new atmosphere in which distorted views of Israel and Jews
are freely expressed and made to seem acceptable.’

The ADL wrote a letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan citing
his government’s `harshly critical statements’ – and his own remarks
during a recent a visit to Lebanon – as a case in point. Erdogan had
condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, accused the Jewish State of
threatening to undermine `global peace,’ and called for the U.N.
Security Council to consider sanctions against Israel.

The ADL’s letter also pointed to two recent television dramas which
portrayed Israelis and the Israeli military as inherently evil and
conniving. The recent television series `Valley of the Wolves’
reportedly featured Israeli agents as baby snatchers.

`While we have celebrated Turkey’s history of coexistence with Jews
and the protection Turkish society provides for its Jewish community,
we cannot ignore this new atmosphere and its potential consequences,’
said Foxman. `We respectfully urge the Turkish government to speak out
directly to reject anti-Semitism and incendiary demonizing depictions
of Israel and Israelis, and to reiterate Turkey’s support for its
Jewish community.’