DISCUSSION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL TABLED IN ISRAELI PARLIAMENT, SAYS AZERI PARLIAMENTARIAN

Asbarez
Apr 27th, 2010

JERUSALEM (APA)-A draft resolution calling for the official Israeli
recognition of the Armenian Genocide was pulled off the docket on
Tuesday, hours before it was set to be discussed in parliament,
the Azeri Press Agency reported, quoting a member of Azerbaijan’s
parliament, Yevda Abramov.

The resolution, submitted by the Chairman of the Meretz bloc in the
Israeli Knesset, was scheduled for a floor debate on April 28. It
was to be the first item on the legislature’s agenda after returning
from recess.

According to Abramov, the draft resolution was pulled after he
discussed his concerns regarding the bill with the head of the
Azerbaijani-Israeli Parliamentary Friendship Group, Robert Elatov.

Abramov said that after several phone conversations with Elatov he
was told the bill was removed from the agenda and that the Armenian
Genocide wouldn’t be discussed as scheduled.

The Kneset last May unanimously voted to discuss a similar resolution
calling on the Israeli government to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

But the bill was pulled off the docket shortly after over national
security concerns. The motion to re-table the discussion was introduced
by Oron late in March. The parliamentarian introduces this resolution
every year to coincide with April 24.