Search … What Would Happen If an Armenian Diplomat Questions the term Holocaust while in Israel?

ARA KHACHATOURIAN

“The tragedy of the Armenian nation has never been questioned. There is a historical question of what to call it, but what has happened is a fact that everyone accepts. It’s not a matter of political discussion. Let historians decide what to call the tragedy.” This is what Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Ben-Zvi said on Tuesday when visiting the Dzidzernagapert Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex.

Upon reading this I thought what would happen if one of Armenia’s deputy foreign ministers visited Yad Vashem, The World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, and paid tribute to the victims of Nazi Germany’s systematic annihilation of Jews and pussyfooted around using the word Holocaust.

Most likely, all hell would break loose.

I envision Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decreeing the immediate expulsion of the said diplomat from Israel and freezing the already cool diplomatic ties with Yerevan. World leaders would then chime in with their condemnation of Armenia’s insensitive and tone deaf approach to the Holocaust, while Jewish organizations, some of which just recently decided to call the events of 1915 “Genocide,” would be in an uproar renewing their lobbying to discredit efforts to pass a Genocide recognition bill in Congress. More important, the Israeli press would quickly pick up on the diplomatic gaffe and would mold Israeli public opinion against Armenia and Armenians. Not to mention the Israeli academicians, such as Israel Charny and Yair Auron to name a few,

Instead, according to the foreign ministry’s press office Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan “presented Armenia’s ongoing initiatives directed at prevention of genocides and crimes against humanity, noting that the third Global Counterterrorism Forum will be held in Yerevan on December 9 [and will be] dedicated to the role of education in the prevention of genocides. Referring to the process of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, the Foreign Minister mentioned that it is a moral responsibility and a tribute to the memory of innocent victims, while at the same time it is an important contribution to international efforts to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity.”

Yet Ben-Zvi stands on the grounds of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex and spits on the memory of the 1.5 million victims of the Genocide with no recourse or admonishment and walks away with the continued pledges of improving ties between Armenia and Israel.

And let’s look at those so-called “improving” ties.

Netanyahu, once again, halted the debate of a bill to recognize the Genocide in the Knesset in June, after the Israeli political apparatus, once again, decided to play the Genocide card when Turkey threated Tel Aviv after Israel attacked a Palestinian settlement in Gaza in May. The fact that the Genocide issue comes into play in Israeli politics only during spats with Turkey is proof enough that Israel does not necessarily want to become “a partner” with Armenia.

Then there’s that pesky issue of the estimated $5 billion in arms sales to Azerbaijan, whose army commanders urged a military contractor to “live test” an armed suicide drone directed at Artsakh military targets. While that military contract was allegedly suspended, again there has been no firm posturing from Armenia. Mnatsakanyan told Ben-Zvi that “our partners should abstain from all actions that could potentially result in arms race, as well as provoke instability in the region.”

Mnatsakanyan’s statements signal a more resolute tone toward Israel in comparison to his predecessor, Edward Nalbandian, who met with Netanyahu last fall with nary a mention of these thorny and contentious issues blocking normal ties with the Jewish State.

I am not suggesting that Mnatsakanyan should have started a diplomatic row with Israel, but he and other officials should consider what Israel would do if the situation were reversed and say Armenia were supplying arms to the Palestinians and disrespecting the Holocaust all at the same time.

NATO Should Give Turkey the Boot---ITS ABOUT TIME DONT YOU THINK ??

https://www.wsj.com/articles/nato-should-give-turkey-the-boot-1534201627?mod=e2fb

Turkey + Azeri = Armenian monument / history destroyers

http://asbarez.com/173767/azeri-destruction-of-armenian-monuments-featured-on-un-website/

Terry George, Joe Berlinger, Eric Esrailian Welcome Smithsonian Screening of Genocide Films

Showings of The Promise and Intent to Destroy Signal Ankara’s Weakening Grip over U.S. Policy on the Armenian Genocide; Mark Progress toward Federalizing American Remembrance of this Crime

WASHINGTON—In a sign of Turkey’s diminishing capacity to enforce its longstanding Armenian Genocide gag-rule across the U.S. government, the Smithsonian – America’s leading cultural and historical institution – screened two high profile films about this crime – The Promise and its companion documentary Intent to Destroy – as part of this summer’s landmark Folklife Festival on the National Mall.

“In the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s showing of The Promise we see the power of art to break down barriers – including the wall that the U.S. government has, for far too long, erected against honest remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,” said Oscar winner Terry George, director of The Promise. “With this screening – at America’s premier cultural celebration – we’re beginning to see that wall crumble. That’s a good thing. And I’m proud to have been part of it.”

“It’s a thrill to see my documentary, Intent to Destroy, and also Terry George’s The Promise screened at the Smithsonian’s Folklife Festival – particularly given the long and troubling record of the U.S. government’s lack of recognition of the Armenian Genocide, including pressuring Hollywood to block the production of movies about this human rights atrocity – dating back to the 1930s and Forty Days of Musa Dagh,” said Joe Berlinger, Oscar nominated director of Intent to Destroy. “It’s in the light of this history that I attach particular value to the Smithsonian’s principled leadership on this issue. I am hopeful that this progress will contribute to the U.S. government officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide so that all Americans can officially condemn and properly commemorate this crime against all humanity.”

“We join with human rights advocates, humanitarians, Armenians, and friends of Armenia from around the world in thanking the Smithsonian Institution for taking an unprecedented step and including The Promise and Intent to Destroy in this year’s Folklife Festival,” said Eric Esrailian, producer of both films. “We are honored to see these two films – each a powerful work of art in its own right – play such a meaningful role in our progress toward the full federalization of American remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.”

The Promise was shown on Friday, June 29th and Intent to Destroy was screened on Thursday, July 5th, both as part of the Smithsonian Folklife FestivalArmenia: Creating Home program’s Cultures of Survival series. Among the themes explored by Cultures of Survival – through narrative sessions, presentations, and film – is the central role of culture in helping people survive and thrive through and beyond genocide, war crimes, and other violence. Sessions include: “Armenians in America,” “Making Meaning: Economic and Healing Power of Craft,” “Giving Voice: Language and Cultural Survival,” “Sounding Memory: Music & Migration,” and “Tastes of Home: Food Enterprises.”

The 2018 Folklife Festival annually draws millions of on-site and on-line visitors to the National Mall.  The screenings were prominently presented in the Festival’s online and print materials.

The Promise and Intent to Destroy were made possible through the generosity of the late Kirk Kerkorian, the leadership of producer Eric Esrailian, and their talented cast, crews, and supporters around the world.

The ANCA Endowment’s #KeepThePromise initiative serves as a major sponsor of the 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

http://asbarez.com/173062/landmark-turkish-divestment-bill-clears-first-senate-hearing/

http://asbarez.com/173062/landmark-turkish-divestment-bill-clears-first-senate-hearing/

Statements on the Armenian Genocide by US, French and Turkish Presidents

May 1, 2018

Harut Sassounian

BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN

The presidents of the United States, France, and Turkey issued statements on April 24, the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Of the three, only the French President Emmanuel Macron had the honesty and courage to call the tragic events by their proper name — Genocide. President Trump avoided using the term genocide, while President Erdogan, not surprisingly, issued a denialist statement!

President Macron stated in his April 24 letter to Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian: “With you, we remember April 24, 1915 and the murder of 600 Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople that marked the start of the first genocide of the 20th century. We will never forget those murdered men, women and children who perished on the road to exile, from hunger, cold and emaciation…. Together with Great Britain and Russia, France, as early as May 25, 1915, described those massacres as a crime against humanity and civilization. In September 1915, the French fleet, under fire, managed to save over 4,000 refugees from Musa Dagh.” In his compassionate letter, the French President accurately defined the mass killings of Armenians as Genocide — several times.

President Donald Trump, on the other hand, repeated his last year’s statement avoiding the term genocide and using the Armenian words ‘Meds Yeghern’ which is meaningless to most Americans. ‘Meds Yeghern’ (Great Crime), among other terms, was used by Armenians, before the word genocide was coined by Jewish-Polish jurist Raphael Lemkin in the 1940’s. While ‘Meds Yeghern’ is simply a description of the Turkish atrocities against Armenians, genocide is a terminology of international law, according to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the United Nations on December 9, 1948. President Trump used the words ‘Meds Yeghern’ simply to avoid the term genocide in order to appease the Turkish government. It is shameful that President Trump, a non-traditional leader who prides himself on taking unorthodox stands on many national and international issues, would follow the evasive tradition of his predecessors and go along with the denialists in Ankara!

On April 24, the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, in response to a journalist’s question, confirmed that President Trump had simply copied the language of his predecessors. Sanders stated: “The resolution that the President signed was consistent with past administrations as well.”

Using verbal gymnastics, President Trump referred to the Armenian Genocide as “one of the worst mass atrocities,” “the horrific events of 1915,” and “painful elements of the past.” President Trump’s advisers are providing a poor service by urging him to replace the term genocide with ‘Meds Yeghern.’ Rather than winning over Armenian-American citizens, this terminology is antagonizing them. If President Trump does not have the courage to use the right word, he should not issue any statement at all on April 24. Previously, President Ronald Reagan had issued a Presidential Proclamation on April 22, 1981 acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. In addition, the US House of Representatives had adopted two resolutions in 1975 and 1984 recognizing the Armenian Genocide, and the US government had filed a report with the World Court in 1951 mentioning the Armenian Genocide. Consequently, the Armenian Genocide has been repeatedly recognized by the United States government. All President Trump has to do is to reaffirm the U.S. historical record on the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian National Committee of America denounced President Trump’s “failure to lead an honest remembrance of the Armenian Genocide…. President Trump’s ‘Turkey First’ approach tightens Erdogan’s grip over U.S. policy on the genocide of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians and other Christians.” Furthermore, the Armenian Assembly of America described President Trump’s April 24 statement as “a missed opportunity to unequivocally reaffirm the Armenian Genocide.”

Not surprisingly, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a press release on April 25, 2018 to counter President Trump’s April 24 statement: “We reject the inaccurate expressions and the subjective interpretation of history in the written statement by Mr. Donald Trump, President of the USA, released on 24 April 2018 regarding the events of 1915. Our expectation from the US Administration is a fair assessment of a period during which all the peoples of the Ottoman Empire suffered tremendously.”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement, as expected, contains several major factual errors:
1. It equates the deaths of “500,000 Muslims” during World War I to the murder of 1.5 million innocent Armenian men, women, and children. Genocide victims and war casualties are not the same thing.
2. It repeats the same lie that the Turkish government has opened its archives to researchers and offered to establish a ‘Joint Historical Commission.’ In fact, Turkish authorities have cleansed the Ottoman archives of incriminating documents, and the Joint Historical Commission is simply a ruse to delay the Turkish admission of guilt.
3. It boasts about Turkish President Erdogan’s statement sent to the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul on April 24, 2018 to commemorate the “Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in the conditions of World War I.” We need to remember that the Armenian Genocide is unrelated to World War I, just like the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust were not casualties of World War II.

We hope that presidents Erdogan and Trump will have the courage to call the Armenian mass killings by their proper name — Genocide. French President Macron has done it, so should Erdogan and Trump!

System of a Down’s Malakian’s New Song is Dedicated to Armenian Genocide

System of a Down’s Daron Malakian (Photo by Greg Watermann for Rolling Stone)

System of a Down guitarist Daron Malakian is preparing to release a new album, Dictator, on July 20, with a new single called “Lives,” which is meant to commemorate the Armenian Genocide and celebrate its survivors.

“All of our lives we’ve put up a fight, all heroes have died,” he sings in his trademark, almost operatic way. “All of our lives we’ve known wrong from right, our people survived.”

“I’m Armenian, so I wanted to do something for Armenian people – especially since April 24th is the day we remember the genocide,” Malakian told the Rolling Stone.

“It’s about being proud that people did survive the genocide, and it’s not just for Armenian people. It could be for anybody whose people have suffered that type of thing, such as Native Americans.”

He’s also using the song to effect positive change to survivors of the genocide. Half of the proceeds from purchases of the song on iTunes will go to sending first-aid kits to Artsakh Republic.

“There was supposed to be a ceasefire, but the Azeri government does not follow that all the time, so there’s a lot of women and children that get caught in the middle of all this, and I really wanted to send some first aid kits out to Armenians that are living there,” he says, referring to the conflict between the country and Azerbaijan. “It’s very possible that another genocide can happen, so I really want to bring attention to what’s happening there and keep that from happening.”