WILL ISRAEL RECOGNIZE THE GENOCIDE?

asbarez
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Inside the Israeli Knesset

The Abu Dhabi-based The National published an article Wednesday by
Vita Bekker, who ponders whether Israel will recognize the Armenian
Genocide.

Bekker points out that the decision by Knesset member Reuven Rivlin,
a member of the ruling Likud party to advance this effort ~Sis a
break with the years-long Israeli policy to take no stance.~T

~SIsrael, like the US, has never acknowledged that the massacre
of up to 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks was genocide,
saying that the historical dispute should be settled between Turkey
and Armenia. Its long-held view, however, is widely attributed to its
desire to maintain good relations with Turkey, which has vehemently
denied that genocide had taken place,~T says Bekker in the article.

~SThe Israeli stance has been supported for years by pro-Israel
Jewish organizations in the US, which have pressured the US Congress
and successive presidents to defeat congressional resolutions marking
the killing of the Armenians. Turkey is a key ally that has supported
the US in confrontations from Afghanistan to Iran,~T adds Bekker.

Read Bekker~Rs piece in The National here.