KNESSET OPTS NOT TO DISCUSS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT PM’S REQUEST
By Gideon Alon, Haaretz Correspondent
Ha’aretz, Israel
March 15 2007
The Knesset decided Wednesday to shelve a proposal for a parliamentary
discussion on the Armenian genocide, in compliance with Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert’s request.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni had also asked for a removal of
MK Haim Oron’s (Meretz) proposal from the agenda of the Knesset
Education, Culture, and Sports Committee. She said the discussion
might destabilize diplomatic relations with Turkey, which denies
responsibility for the death of nearly 1 million Armenians during
World War I.
MK Oron said that before the vote, Livni called him twice to ask
him to withdraw the proposal. "This inquiry is something we owe the
Armenians, primarily at a time when we are struggling to preserve
the memory of our own people," said Oron.
He added that he had intended the discussion to lead to a resolution
by the Knesset acknowledging the genocide perpetrated against the
Armenians by the Turkish security forces.
Prominent members of the Armenian community in Israel observed the vote
from the Knesset visitors’ balcony and expressed their disappointment
with the decision.
Health Minister Yacov Ben-Yizri, speaking for Livni, said that "as
Jews and Israelis we are especially sensitive to the issue, but over
the years the subject has been transformed into a heated discussion
that the two parties must resolve in order to truly heal the wounds
of the past."
In his address, Ben Yizri did mention that the Armenians were "killed
en-masse during the last days of the Ottoman rule."