‘ZERO’ CHANCE OF KNESSET RECOGNIZING ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’

news.az
March 30 2010
Azerbaijan

Joseph Shagal News.Az interviews Joseph Shagal, president of the
Israel-Azerbaijan international association and former Knesset deputy.

According to mass media, chairman of the MERES faction Haim Oron is
going to put for discussion the issue of recognition of the "Armenian
genocide" in Ottoman Turkey in Knesset once again in April. What do
you think has prompted this decision of the Israeli parliamentarian?

MERES is a marginal political faction which does not represent anyone
at all. It has no influence in the Knesset. By raising this startler,
Oron wants just to remind of his existence. This is a simply reaction
of the "background" policy.

Is the possibility of recognition of "Armenian genocide" by Knesset
real?

The possibility is zero.

On the whole, what can you say about the influence of the pro-Armenian
forces in the Israeli parliament, in particular, as compared to
pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani powers?

Armenians have no influence in the Knesset at all! Like there is no
Turkish or Azerbaijani influence. In its activity Knesset adheres
only to national interests of Israel. The high or low level of the
relations between Israel and any other countries is defined not by the
strength or the weakness of any lobbies. This is a political choice
fully responding to the strategic priorities of Israel. Either a
desperate populist or a person who is far from the Israeli political
realities can speculate on this issue.

How deep are the current differences between the previously close
allies- Israel and Turkey?

Which differences do you mean? As far as I know, the content of the
Israeli-Turkish strategic contacts in almost all spheres has remained
changeless. As for the anti-Israeli rhetoric of Recep Erdogan in
which most people tend to see even the declaration of "cold war"
to Israel, my personal opinion is that premiers come and go while
the real interests of the state remain changeless…

There have recently been many scandalous events in the relations
between Israel and Turkey. Can we hope that the possible parliamentary
hearings on "genocide" may become the last annoying element in the
relations between the two countries?

The Turkish premier voices his resentment over Israel so frequently
and so lavishly that I think it is impossible to raise it even to a
greater extent.

May Azerbaijan play any role in reconciliation of Israel and Turkey?

I repeat once again: everything is alright in the relations between
Turkey and Israel: our ministers exchange business visits, economic and
military and technical cooperation is maintained on the previous level
before conflict, our airplanes still fly over the Turkish corridor,
while the Israeli tourists take a rest in the resorts in Antalya
and Bodrum…

As for your question, Israel has never quarreled with Turkey. And
as one wide politician once said: no matter what you say, the most
important is how what you say is interpreted…
From: Baghdasarian