YAIR AURON: ISRAELI GOVERNMENT PRACTICES DOUBLE-STANDARDS ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ISSUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 21, 2010 – 19:42 AMT 14:42 GMT

An important international symposium on "Armenia-Turkey: How to
Normalize Relations" was held in Paris on April 14. It was organized
by the French Bureau of the Armenian Cause and the Armenian National
Committee of France.

The participants were Dr. Yair Auron, professor of history at Open
University, Israel: Auron has for many years been a staunch supporter
of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and a strong critic of
its denial by the Israeli government.

Auron also spoke about discussions held in the Israeli Parliament on
the Armenian Genocide in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Each time, the Israeli
government opposed the issue. He expects a similar rejection later
this month when the issue is raised in Knesset once again, Harut
Sassounian, The California Courier published reported.

Auron specifically pointed out the double-standard practiced by
Israel. "The state of Israel continues to struggle against Holocaust
denial on one hand, but participates in the denial of another genocide
on the other," he said. "This most likely will damage the struggle
against Holocaust denial in the future. One might view this attitude
as a moral failure. We have to remember that moral claims can have
influence only if they are consistent. … Everyone would agree that
Israel has no right to bargain with the memory of the Holocaust. But,
even more, it has no right-by no means, in any circumstance, and much
less so than any other country-to bargain with the memory of another
victim group. And yet Israel did just that with the Armenian Genocide.

Israel is contributing to the process of genocide denial and by doing
so, it also betrays the memory and the legacy of the Holocaust."