Armenian Foreign Ministry Sends Protest Note to Israeli Counterpart

YEREVAN, Armenia--Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note of protest to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding recent statements made by Ambassador Rivka Cohen about the Armenian Genocide during a press conference in Yerevan on February 8, 2002.

On behalf of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Salpi Ghazarian informed the press that the note specifically stated that the Foreign Ministry considers unacceptable any attempt to deny or demean the reality of the Armenian Genocide, regardless of the rationale. Furthermore, the Foreign Ministry stated that Armenia has never intended to draw parallels between the Armenian Genocide and Jewish Holocaust, believing instead that any crime committed against humanity is unique with its own special political, legal, historical, and moral consequences.

News of the protest was reported in the Turkish and Israeli press after its announcement on February 15. The Armenpress news agency noted that Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Dzyunik Aghajanian said no official visits were being planned between Israel and Armenia for the near future. "It is sad that the political leadership of a nation which has gone through the Holocaust continues to hold such a position," Aghajanian said.

Latest Israeli Denial of the Armenian Genocide Desecrates the Memory of the Holocaust

By Yair Auron

The first genocide in the 20th century was committed in 1915-1916. The Turks, rulers of the Ottoman Empire, massacred more than one million Armenians. While certain historical details and the exact number of the victims can legitimately be debated, there is no doubt that this was a case of genocide. Nevertheless, the Turks have never admitted to having committed genocide, and the Armenians, with the help of their few friends throughout the world, have struggled for 87 years to gain recognition of this fact.

Scholars of genocide note that denial is the final stage of genocide, though it does not always occur. Germany did admit to its crimes against the Jews; however, Slobodan Milosovic, who is now standing trial, and the Turks are examples of perpetrators who have not admitted their crimes.

For the Armenians, the importance of recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Jews and, more importantly, by Israel, cannot be overstated. The fact that the State of Israel was founded by a people whose members were victims of the Holocaust, and the special meaning that derives from this, is known to Armenians, Turks, Israelis, and to the entire world.

Israel has systematically avoided the Armenian issue. Government representatives, with few exceptions, do not participate in Armenian Memorial Day ceremonies held on April 24. The dispute over Israel's acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide has been going on for years.

On August 15, 1995, then Foreign Minister Simon Peres, wrote me regarding my book on the Armenian Genocide: "I am aware of the fact that Israel does not officially acknowledge the horrible massacre out of concern for the unique place of the Holocaust in the chronicles of human history."

In April 2000, it seemed as though a change was in the making. At a historical appearance at the Armenian Memorial Day ceremony in Jerusalem, then Minister of Education Yossi Sarid gave a speech in which he sympathized with the Armenian pain over the denial of the Genocide and promised that the subject would be taught in Israeli schools. But the Barak government swiftly rejected Sarid's stand and stressed that he did not represent the government.

And in April 2001, before an official visit to Turkey, Peres was quoted in a Turkish newspaper as saying: "We reject attempts to create a similarity between the Holocaust and the Armenian allegations. Nothing similar to the Holocaust occurred. What the Armenians went through is a tragedy, but not genocide."

The latest stage in this shameful affair occurred in the last two weeks. The Israeli Ambassador to Georgia and Armenia, Rivka Cohen, repeated Peres' statement in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. In Israel this was not reported. But Armenians in Armenia and all over the world were enraged. Government officials and politicians demanded that the Ambassador be declared persona non grata.

The Foreign Ministry of Armenia made an official protest to the Israeli Foreign Ministry and received the official answer of the State of Israel a few days ago: "As Jews and as Israelis we are especially saddened by the deaths and the tragedy which took place in 1915 and 1916. We understand the emotional relevance for both sides and we are aware of the large number of victims and of the plight of the Armenians."

"This issue requires extensive research and an academic dialogue based on testimonials and proof," the response continued. "Israel asserted that the Holocaust was a singular event in human history and was a premeditated crime against the Jewish people. Israel recognizes the tragedy of the Armenians and the plight of the Armenian people. However, the events cannot be compared to genocide. This does not in any way diminish the magnitude of the tragedy."

We cannot minimize the historical significance of this terrible statement. Not a holocaust, not genocide; only "victims," "plight," and "tragedy," without even mentioning who the perpetrators were. There is no mention of a killer, as if it were a natural disaster, but there is mention of the emotional relevance to both sides--the Turks and the Armenians (imagine Jews and Germans being mentioned together in the case of the Holocaust!). And of course, mention is made of the uniqueness of the Holocaust.

There is a lot of cynicism, arrogance, internal contradiction, and irresponsibility in this dangerous official statement. In it, Israel moves from passive to active denial. This declaration was made by a State whose people were victims of the Holocaust only a little over 50 years ago. It puts in question the significance and the relevance of historical scholarship on genocide. In my view, it desecrates the memory of the Holocaust and its significance.

The fact that politicians, the media, and academia disregard such a significant event only demonstrates the depth of our moral bankruptcy. As an Israeli Jew, I can only ask the forgiveness of every member of the Armenian people and assure them that there are people in Israel who will not give up until their State changes its immoral and anti-historical attitude toward the genocide suffered by another people.

This article was published in Hebrew in the March 3, 2002 issue of Ha'aretz. Dr. Auron is a scholar of genocide and author of the book The Banality of Indifference: Zionism and the Armenian Genocide.

Ambassador Cohen's Statement is Strike Against Armenia

By Martin Demoorjian

I write this in memory of my parents, Zabel DerAharonian and Avedis Demoorjian, who survived the 1915 Armenian Genocide, and the many family members who perished, and it is in response to the article in the February 16 issue of the Armenian Weekly titled "Israeli Ambassador Downplays Genocide."

In the article, Israeli Ambassador to Armenia Rivka Cohen is quoted as stating, "The Holocaust was a unique phenomenon, since it had been planned and aimed to destroy the whole nation. At this stage nothing should be compared with the Holocaust."

The Ambassador represents the State of Israel. Her statement is to be regarded as official opinion, and it elevates the Holocaust above the sufferings of others and makes persecuted Armenians less important than Jews.

In destroying more than half the Armenian population, the Turks were more successful than Hitler in attempting to annihilate a nation. There must be a degree of arrogance for the Ambassador to make such a disparaging comment while visiting Armenia. With her insulting remark, it is difficult to believe there is sincere interest on her part for the Armenians.

The article also stated that "Israel finds it important to develop relations with Armenia." If so, it would be beneficial for Israel to approach the Armenians less offensively. The article verges upon forcing Armenia to compromise the Genocide for political and economic purposes.

Ambassador Cohen's statement is the third strike against Armenian issues within a year by Jews. It is the second time such provocative views have been expressed by Israeli government officials. In April 2001, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres called the Armenian Genocide "meaningless." More recently, many Jewish organizations in the US supported the waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, undermining the concerns and safety of Armenians.

Perhaps there is an intent to antagonize the Armenians, who may be justified in having suspicions for what is not said publicly. Mindful of the statements expressed and Israel's relationship with the US, recognition of the Genocide by the US is unlikely.

Considering Turkey's denial of the Genocide, the Israeli Foreign Minister's and Ambassador's remarks surreptitiously create more support for Turkey's position. This can test and jeopardize any trust between Armenia and Israel. The Armenians have formidable opposition, and if the Genocide is forgotten, then Turkey will have succeeded its mission, begun long ago, to exterminate a people, this time with the help of Israel as an ally.

Hitler asked, "Who remembers the Armenians?" less than 25 years after the Genocide; the callous words of the Israeli Foreign Minister and Ambassador share the sensibility of that challenging question. The Armenians know well Turkish oppression and suppression, and it seems that Israel is becoming part of those efforts. My faith in Israel and Jews is uncertain after having gained more insight into their views. To reiterate a Jewish sentiment, "the friend of my enemy is my enemy," and the rest is politics.

Israeli Denial of Genocide Protested in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES--A peaceful demonstration was organized in front of the Israeli Consulate on March 7 by a group calling itself "Concerned American-Armenian Citizens" in Los Angeles, to protest the Israeli government's denial of the Armenian Genocide. More than 300 people of all ages participated in this peaceful and well-organized two-hour public protest.

The protest was directed against the Israeli government's recent declarations, in which the Israeli Ambassador in Armenia and the Israeli Foreign Ministry characterized the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government in 1915 as a mere "tragedy."

A delegation from the organizing committee met with a representative of the Israeli Consulate during the protest. George Apelian explained the purpose of the peaceful demonstration and submitted a letter addressed to the Israeli Consul General. "In 1915 Hitler witnessed the Armenian Genocide," he said. "During the second World War, Hitler took example of the unpunished genocide of the Armenians, and executed the Jewish Holocaust."

"We hope that the deniers of the Armenian Genocide will put aside their geo-political favoritism and be honest to recognize a historical truth for the sake of humanity," read a press release from the committee.

During a February 8 press conference in Yerevan, Israeli Ambassador to Georgia and Armenia Rivka Cohen argued that the "Holocaust was a unique phenomenon, since it had always been planned and aimed to destroy the whole nation. At this stage nothing should be compared with Holocaust."

The Armenian Foreign Ministry responded to these remarks by issuing a diplomatic note of protest arguing that Armenia considers any attempt to reject or belittle the significance of the Genocide as inadmissible.

Political analyst and publisher Harut Sassounian also wrote a column titled, "Israel's Ambassador Should Be Expelled From Armenia," which attracted a great deal of attention from Jews and Armenians. In November, the ARF co-sponsored a bill in the National Assembly making denial of the Genocide a crime in Armenia.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded to Yerevan's concerns stating that, "Israel recognizes the tragedy of the Armenians and the plight of the Armenian people. Nevertheless, the events cannot be compared to genocide, and that does not in any way diminish the magnitude of the tragedy."

In April 2001, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres made similar remarks about the Armenian Genocide. In both cases Israeli scholars Israel Charny, Yair Auron, and others wrote letters and articles protesting the denial of the Armenian Genocide.