Israeli MP on behind-the-scene struggles of MPs to gain publicity on "Armenian genocide"

Deputy Head of Israeli parliament's committee on foreign affairs and security, head of the "Israel-Azerbaijan" Inter-Parliamentary Association Robert Ilatov told Israeli IzRus portal about the behind-the-scenes struggles for recognition of the “Armenian Genocide” in the Israeli Knesset.

On April 28, Knesset passed a decision 12 to 8 to include “Armenian genocide” into the agenda of the parliament. In an interview with the portal IzRus, Ilatov, one of the MPs who voted against, spoke about his vision of the situation. He also spoke about the motives of parliamentarians in heated discussions over events that took place 95 years ago.
 
“I am against recognizing the “Armenian genocide” for several reasons,” Ilatov said.

“It is about the events that took place long before the Israeli state was founded. We are not International Court on Human Rights and also not a tribunal to decide whether these century-old events can be labeled as genocide or not. Apart from this, such kind of issues must be handed to historians, but not lobbyists who persuade parliamentarians to recognize or reject the “genocide,” the Israeli mp said. 

Ilatov believes that a number of MPs intentionally seek recognition of the “Armenian genocide” aim to draw attention of press. The opportunity to act as defender of wretched and oppressed people mainly attracts representatives of small parties, he added.

“They know that Turkey will react to these debates and they will have a chance to show up in media. That is why head of the MERETZ party Haim Oron has offered to debate this issue in the Knesset many times although he knows that it will be a failure,” the Israeli MP noted.

Right after the voting, MP Oron told IzRus that Knesset’s organization committee has been tasked to chose a parliamentary committee to hand over this issue for debates. Two committees have been proposed for discussions – the committee on foreign affairs and security and the committee on education.

Ilatov says Oron and MPs of Arabic origin will do their utmost so that the issue will be submitted to the committee on education in 2-3 weeks. 

“There will be no recognition. The debates in the committee on foreign affairs and security are usually closed for media which does not suit MPs who want to gain some publicity and accuse Israel once again,” Ilatov said.

“They will certainly try to submit the issue to the committee on education and make a bit of a noise infront of the cameras,” the MP explained.


/IzRus/