TURKEY CONCERNED OVER GENOCIDE RESOLUTION IN ISRAEL

Asbarez
Apr 30th, 2010

ANKARA (Today’s Zaman)-Turkey is concerned over a decision by the
Israeli parliament on Wednesday to have one of its standing committees
consider a draft resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the
Turkish Today’s Zaman newspaper reported Friday citing a Foreign
Ministry spokesman.

The Knesset decided by 12 votes to 8, with one abstention, that one
of its standing committees will discuss the resolution and determine
whether it should be put to a full parliament vote. "We ought to be
sensitive and open to the sorrow of others as a nation with a history
of experiencing genocide," resolution lead sponsor, Haim Oron of the
Opposition Meretz party said in a speech before the vote. Oron urged
parliament to properly recognize the Armenian genocide, saying that
"justice needs to be implemented."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry reacted to these developments on
Thursday, urging Israel not to allow the resolution to proceed beyond
committee. "We expect this attempt to bring no result," Foreign
Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin said at a weekly press conference
in Ankara on Thursday.

It is not yet clear which Knesset committee will pick up the measure.

Oron wants it to be debated by the Education Committee, having failed
to push similar bills through the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee
in 2009 and 2008. But the government wants the latter panel to again
deal with the matter.

The Defense Committee, however, has not voted on Armenian genocide
resolutions, highlighting successive Israeli governments’ reluctance
to antagonize Turkey, a Muslim partner of the Jewish state.

Turkey, whose ties with Israel have been strained over Prime Minister
Erdogan’s harsh criticism of Israel’s actions in Palestine, denies
the Genocide and has at time threatened the security of Turkish Jews
to thwart Israel and Jewish American groups from supporting Armenian
Genocide recognition.

"Our position is clear, not only about the Israeli parliament but
about all parliaments’ attempts to judge history. History should
be interpreted by historians," Ozugergin said. Last month, Turkey
recalled its ambassadors to Sweden and the United States after
resolutions recognizing the Genocide were passed by lawmakers in
both countries. The two envoys were sent back, however, after Turkey
received what it called "satisfactory messages" from the US and
Swedish administrations.

Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu is set to visit
Israel soon to discuss this and other bilateral ties.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress