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Last update - 16:49 12/05/2008
Turkey angered by new ADL stance on Armenian 'genocide'
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: World War 1 

The Turkish government is pressuring Israel in an effort to reverse an American Jewish organization's decision to recognize Turkey's massacre of Armenians during World War I as genocide.

A meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Israel's ambassador to Ankara, Pinhas Avivi, became "shrill," according to Foreign Ministry sources in Jerusalem. Gul expressed Ankara's "anger and disappointment" over the matter.

On Tuesday, the Anti-Defamation League announced that it recognizes the events in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were massacred as "genocide." ADL's national director Abraham Foxman, said he made the decision after discussing the matter with historians and with Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.
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According to an Israeli ministry source, Gul told the Israeli ambassador that "Turkey knows Israel was not responsible for the Anti-Defamation League's announcement, but is disappointed because Israel could have done something to prevent it."

Avivi replied that Jerusalem was not involved in the ADL's decision and that "there is no change in Israel's position. We are not taking sides, and believe that the parties must hold a dialogue to clarify and investigate the matter and determine what really happened."

A senior Foreign Ministry official told Haaretz Thursday that the main focus now is on calming the situation.

"This is a highly sensitive issue for Turkey, and we have signaled to them that there is no change in our position and that we do not wish to harm the friendly ties between our countries. We believe that they have understood our message," the official said.

The question of the Armenian genocide is being handled at the highest levels of the Turkish leadership, and Foreign Ministry sources noted that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to discuss the matter with their Israeli counterparts, Shimon Peres and Ehud Olmert.

Israel is concerned that the matter may lead to a genuine diplomatic crisis between the two countries, and it has sent quiet signals to American Jewish organizations in an effort to lower the tone. The Foreign Ministry is concerned that the strategic relationship between the two countries could be harmed and that the Jewish community in Turkey could be affected.

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  1.   Incompetent leadership everywhere.. 03:41  |  Basat Tayfun(Turkey) 24/08/07
  2.   Turkey must appologize to Armenians 03:41  |  Tosefta (the Syrian) 24/08/07
  3.   Armenian genocide 03:57  |  Mark Katzman 24/08/07
  4.   Long ago, and not so distant 03:58  |  Mark Lincoln 24/08/07
  5.   It is Historical Fact 04:30  |  Brod 24/08/07
  6.   If the Israeli/Turkish Relationship is so Fragile... 04:37  |  massaraksh 24/08/07
  7.   Israel can not win 04:42  |  Reality check 24/08/07
  8.   bored 05:02  |  wiseUP 24/08/07
  9.   Is Israel an Independent Country? One Should Hope So... 05:20  |  massaraksh 24/08/07
  10.   Turkey does not Understand the Way Democracy Works 05:40  |  Efox 24/08/07
  11.   re: Mark Lincoln 05:44  |  Efox 24/08/07
  12.   re: Brod 05:47  |  Efox 24/08/07
  13.   Turkey`s Blemish 05:58  |  Marty 24/08/07
  14.   One Step Forward, Ten Steps Backwards 06:10  |  Dave Levy 24/08/07
  15.   Ethnic cleansing is not genocide 06:11  |  007 24/08/07
  16.   Armenian genocide inspired Hitler 06:23  |  Bill 24/08/07
  17.   survival 06:26  |  isiaiah 24/08/07
  18.   What`s The Big Deal? 06:36  |  Yosemite 24/08/07
  19.   Threat to Turkish Jews? 06:41  |  B 24/08/07
  20.   re: Reality check 06:41  |  Efox 24/08/07
  21.   re: Dave Levy 06:43  |  Efox 24/08/07
  22.   Armenian Genocide 06:53  |  Leonard Oberstein 24/08/07
  23.   Israel can dish it out, but can`t take it 06:57  |  Natallie Durson 24/08/07
  24.   Turks have gone crazy! ADL is NOT an Israeli mouthpiece 07:02  |  McQueen 24/08/07
  25.   All this to curry favor with the Islamists controlling Turkey! 07:05  |  McQueen 24/08/07
  26.   Turkey Must Face The Charges of Genocide For Murdering Millions 07:22  |  Tal 24/08/07
  27.   Lol 07:35  |  Colin Wright 24/08/07
  28.   #17, Yosemite 07:39  |  Silvienne 24/08/07
  29.   Mark Lincoln #4 Intent of Genocide 07:54  |  Shawn 24/08/07
  30.   Israel can dish it out, but can`t take it 08:05  |  Natallie Durson 24/08/07
  31.   ADL, GET OUT oF OUR WAY!!!!!! 08:26  |  Armenian 24/08/07
  32.   Say what, Natallie? 08:36  |  Denton 24/08/07
  33.   Armenian Define Justice 09:20  |  Yosemite 24/08/07
  34.   Natallie On The Attack Everyday As Usual 09:38  |  Yosemite 24/08/07
  35.   USA, ISRAEL & TURKEY 09:55  |  Backoyanni 24/08/07
  36.   Turks (like others here in region) don`t get it 10:34  |  b`galil 24/08/07
  37.   re #24 `Turks have gone crazy.` 10:35  |  Colin Wright 24/08/07
  38.   Playing games 10:37  |  Ughur 24/08/07
  39.   A detail 10:51  |  Colin Wright 24/08/07
  40.   ADL, Israel, and the Kurds 11:03  |  Larry 24/08/07
  41.   re #15 `Ethnic cleansing is not genocide` 11:03  |  Colin Wright 24/08/07
  42.   " We are not taking sides" 11:05  |  Yonatan 24/08/07
  43.   re #16 `Armenian genocide inspired Hitler` 11:13  |  Colin Wright 24/08/07
  44.   #33 Yosemite - then what`s the problem? 11:24  |  Yonatan 24/08/07
  45.   re #13 `Turkey`s blemish.` 11:25  |  Colin Wright 24/08/07
  46.   CONTENPORARY EYE WITNESS REPORTS AT THE TIME CONFIRM GENOCIDE 11:27  |  PAUL HARRIS 24/08/07
  47.   ALL YOU JEWS KNOW EACH OTHER AND SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THIS. 11:34  |  Atta Typpesh 24/08/07
  48.   No chances Turkey will join the EU 11:44  |  El_Justiciero 24/08/07
  49.   Dear Armenians 11:46  |  Fatih 24/08/07
  50.   It is the biggest lie 11:52  |  M Takman 24/08/07
  51.   A Human Cause vs a Shortsighted Partnership 12:08  |  Anna Abrahamian 24/08/07
  52.   What the Turkish statement proves - Gulegule Mr Gul 12:09  |  Rachel 24/08/07
  53.   Colin Wright and other cowards 12:19  |  Ara 24/08/07
  54.   THEY WILL LEAVE BLEED TO DEATH, TURKEY 12:19  |  indrajaya 24/08/07
  55.   THEY WILL LEAVE YOU BLEED TO DEATH, TURKEY 12:20  |  indrajaya 24/08/07
  56.   Turkey Israel 12:30  |  Oz 24/08/07
  57.   General Dro - Armenian Hero and Nazi Commander 12:37  |  mehmet12 24/08/07
  58.   Takman We don`t trust you 12:38  |  Ara 24/08/07
  59.   Takman We don`t trust you 12:38  |  Ara 24/08/07
  60.   Inrahooha`s back stabbing.... 12:38  |  Simon Jenkins 24/08/07
  61.   Armenians 12:41  |  Steve A 24/08/07
  62.   Israel Loses Water 12:43  |  Walid 24/08/07
  63.   28- Silvienne double Standard 12:58  |  Roy 24/08/07
  64.   ANACHRONISM 13:04  |  SİNAN KILIÇ 24/08/07
  65.   Turkey 13:22  |  Oz 24/08/07
  66.   Is it possible to clearly define the what is or isnt "genocide"? 13:27  |  AV 24/08/07
  67.   #5, BROD, you racist! 13:34  |  VIPER 24/08/07
  68.   The ADL, once an important organization 13:34  |  Mark Lincoln 24/08/07
  69.   PUBLISH MY EARLY NORMAL POSTS 13:35  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 24/08/07
  70.   GUYS RELAX ! ISRAEL WILL APOLIGISE FROM TURKEY AS STATE 13:38  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 24/08/07
  71.   #57 mehmet12 13:40  |  Ara 24/08/07
  72.   Im critical of Islam, but Turkish Islam is relatively peaceful 13:42  |  Hal 24/08/07
  73.