Friday, April 27, 2007

JTW News - Armenia’s Jewish Scepticism and Its Impact on Armenia-Israel Relations - Part II

"Armenia’s Jewish Scepticism and Its Impact on Armenia-Israel Relations - Part II

By Sedat LACINER

* ‘We Reject the Armenian Attempts’

Israel in the 1970s and 1980s opposed the Armenian attempts to draw similarities between Holocaust and 1915 Relocation event, yet it made extreme efforts not to alienate the Armenians. Therefore all Israeli efforts to prevent the Armenians were secret and ‘behind the curtain’.[89] Naturally there has been a pro-Armenian group in Israel as well and this group does not share the official policy. However the pro-Armenian politicians are not strong enough to shift the official Israeli position and does not reflect the official view. On the other hand the fragile political structure and coalition system allows the marginal groups to enter the cabinet. For instance Yossi Sarid’s, Israel’s Education Minister, efforts resulted in including some Armenian claims in the national curriculum. Similarly Yossi Beilin, then Deputy Foreign Minister, had given support to the radical Armenians in April 1994."

More:JTW News - Armenia’s Jewish Scepticism and Its Impact on Armenia-Israel Relations - Part II