ISRAEL SENDS DELEGATION TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CEREMONY
Times of Israel
April 22 2015
‘As Jews, we must recognize the fact that an Armenian genocide
occurred,’ says Labor MK Nachman Shai
By JTA April 22, 2015, 9:22 pm 0
srael has sent an official delegation to ceremonies marking the 100th
anniversary of the mass murder of Armenians by Turkish forces during
World War I.
Armenia will hold ceremonies over the weekend to mark the tragedy,
which some call the Armenian Genocide. Israel has resisted calling
the event a genocide.
“Israel must reconsider its position on whether the time has come to
recognize the fact that an Armenian genocide occurred,” said Knesset
member Nachman Shai of the Zionist Camp, who will represent Israel
at ceremonies and events in Yerevan, Armenia’s capital.
“As Jews, we must recognize it,” he said. “This is especially true
during these days, when we mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Participation in the events in Armenia is a clear and strong statement
by the Israeli Knesset, which has repeatedly remembered the Armenian
victims, that it is obligated to reopen the matter.”
Anat Berko of the Likud party also will represent Israel at the
commemorations.
US President Barack Obama also has avoided calling the killings a
genocide, despite his 2008 pledged that he would.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, who is Jewish, will represent the United
States in Armenia for the commemoration.
From: A. Papazian