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Demonstrators protest Israel's failure to recognize the Armenian genocide. (AP)
Last update - 22:25 26/03/2008
Knesset panel to consider recognition of Armenian genocide
By Shahar Ilan, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Turkey, Armenian genocide 

The Knesset decided Wednesday that a parliamentary committee will hold an unprecedented hearing on whether to recognize the World War I-era mass murder of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as a genocide.

The decision to hold a hearing, which was proposed by Meretz Chairman Haim Oron, was approved by a 12-MK margin. The government did not oppose the motion.

The Knesset House Committee will decide whether the issue will be handed over to the Knesset Education Committee, as Oron wants, or to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, as requested by Yisrael Beiteinu MK Yosef Shagal. The latter generally holds hearings behind closed doors.
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Oron wants the committee to recognize the Armenian genocide, pointing out that similar recognition has been afforded recently by the French parliament and the United States Congress. "It is appropriate that the Israeli Knesset, which represents the Jewish people, recognize the Armenian genocide," said Oron. "It is unacceptable that the Jewish people is not making itself heard."

The Meretz MK added that he raises the proposal every year ahead of Armenian Genocide Day, which falls on April 24.

Minister Shalom Simhon, who represented the government in the Knesset debate, did not object to sending the issue to committee. Simhon said the Jewish people have a special sensitivity to the issue and a moral obligation to remember tragic episodes in human history, including the mass murder of the Armenians.

Nonetheless, Simhon added that, "in the course of time this has become a politically charged issue between Armenians and Turks ? and Israel is not interested in taking a side."

Shagal warned that recognizing the killings as a genocide could have repercussions for Israel's diplomatic relations with Turkey, as well as the fate of tens of thousands of Jews who live in Azerbaijan.

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      1.   oron and armenians 19:23  |  alex 26/03/08
      2.   Stupid Israeli politicians! 19:37  |  Eric 26/03/08
      3.   DO IT! 19:38  |  Michael 26/03/08
      4.   You Know What I Would Do? 19:45  |  Yosemite 26/03/08
      5.   The Sign the Girl is Holding 19:45  |  Nephtaly 26/03/08
      6.   Finally 19:57  |  Slibovitz 26/03/08
      7.   Turkey 19:59  |  daoud 26/03/08
      8.   Perfidious armenians conspire as much as Jlem arabs against Israe 20:16  |  Absolute Sweden 26/03/08
      9.   It`s good for Turkey, even if Turks don`t know it yet. 20:29  |  Fortuna Benmayor 26/03/08
      10.   For daoud # 1 20:34  |  Fortuna Benmayor 26/03/08
      11.   Recognition 20:34  |  Michael 26/03/08
      12.   Inbetween a Rock and a Hard Place 20:42  |  Justin 26/03/08
      13.   As for Shagal:Listen Well and Remember 20:42  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/03/08
      14.   Absolute Sweden 20:43  |  Yosemite 26/03/08
      15.   Right, daoud screw morlaity, lets go for crass self interest 20:47  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/03/08
      16.   Leave Armenian Genocide Alone! 20:54  |  Avi yerushalmi 26/03/08
      17.   Genocide? 21:02  |  Giramondo 26/03/08
      18.   Let`s Light the way 21:19  |  Joan 26/03/08
      19.   Don`t do it!!!! 21:21  |  iz 26/03/08
      20.   Turkey is paying for going Islamic 21:24  |  Y 26/03/08
      21.   the zionist plot... How to force Azerbeijan jews..to migrate 21:31  |  John 26/03/08
      22.   Armenian Genocide to be Discussed in Kneset 21:33  |  George Casen 26/03/08
      23.   Knesset panel to consider recognition of Armenian genocide 21:33  |  Vatche Iskedjian 26/03/08
      24.   Yosemite - I guess you don`t know 21:33  |  David Israel 26/03/08
      25.   His Holiness, Pope Pius XII Issues A Statement 21:35  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/03/08
      26.   What about relations with Armenia? 21:44  |  James 26/03/08
      27.   what`s taking you so long, considering the history of... 21:50  |  Rami 26/03/08
      28.   Holocaust denial 21:58  |  Daniel 26/03/08
      29.   British Position on so called Armenian genocide 22:09  |  Jim 26/03/08
      30.   Shame on Armenian Genocide denial 22:17  |  Ulf 26/03/08
      31.   Avi yerushalmi on the Armenian genocide 22:17  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/03/08
      32.   Mertz are real assholes 22:18  |  CM 26/03/08
      33.   Let Armenians come to Isreal 22:22  |  CM 26/03/08
      34.   HAARETZ: WHERE IN THE NAME OF DECENCY.. 22:26  |  Brant 26/03/08
      35.   John about zionist plot 22:40  |  Goldenberg 26/03/08
      36.   Read the manifesto speech by 1st Armenian Primeminister 22:41  |  Jim 26/03/08
      37.   This talkback is so revealing 22:49  |  Axel 26/03/08
      38.   Fortuna Benmayor from Columbia 22:53  |  JIM 26/03/08
      39.   The Armenian Genocide is a fact! 23:11  |  J.T. 26/03/08
      40.   Yaacov #24 23:12  |  Avi Yerushalmi 26/03/08
      41.   hahaha..how about stoping the one you are committing! Hypocrites! 23:18  |  Free Palestine 26/03/08
      42.   FREE PALESTINE AND HYPOCRISY 23:49  |  Brant 26/03/08
      43.   #37 Free Palestine 23:59  |  Reuben 26/03/08
      44.   No Jew lovers 00:01  |  Dennie 27/03/08
      45.   Love thy neighbour more than thyself 00:04  |  Nuchem 27/03/08
      46.   JIM #34 00:27  |  Alan 27/03/08
      47.   Knesset will recognise our Genocide 00:30  |  Antoine Terjanian 27/03/08
      48.   Knesset - Armenian Genocide 00:31  |  Paul Adjemian 27/03/08
      49.   Knesset will recognise our Genocide 00:34  |  Antoine Terjanian 27/03/08
      50.   Gain to condemn genocide? 00:43  |  Slibovitz 27/03/08
      51.   Jim from NY is completely brainwashed by denialist literature 00:52  |  Robert McBride 27/03/08
      52.   Justice cannot be killed! 01:04  |  Judy Schwartz 27/03/08
      53.   Armenian Genocide 01:29  |  George Y. Krikorian 27/03/08
      54.   Free Pal ,time for you to wake up 01:59  |  Viken 27/03/08
      55.   SO TURKEY REFUSED DICK CHENEY`S HELP REQUEST FOR ATTACKING IRAN 02:12  |  Tayfun_Turkey 27/03/08
      56.   Armenia and Iran 02:26  |  Frank 27/03/08
      57.   David Israel 02:33  |  Yosemite 27/03/08
      58.   Please do it, Israel! 03:09  |  Mark Marshall 27/03/08
      59.   Israel would be wise 04:34  |  Mark Lincoln 27/03/08
      60.   The current meaning of the word "genocide" 04:38  |  Mark Lincoln 27/03/08
      61.   Tayfun_Turkey 04:41  |  Mark Lincoln 27/03/08
      62.   Wrong Tayfun_Turkey 04:44  |  Mark Lincoln 27/03/08
      63.   Take your meds Tayfun 04:48  |  Mark Lincoln 27/03/08
      64.   George - a small point 04:50  |  Mark Lincoln 27/03/08
      65.   Tayfun From Istanbul. 05:05  |  David Israel 27/03/08
      66.   It`s best to stay out of this one! 05:23  |  US CITIZEN 27/03/08
      67.   Re: Axel #33 05:31  |  Yosemite 27/03/08
      68.   nesset to consider recognition of Armenian Genocide 05:45  |  edward sarafian 27/03/08
      69.   Recognition 05:51  |  Manouk 27/03/08
      70.   After all...... 06:48  |  M.Kherlopian 27/03/08
      71.   Knesset panel to consider recognition of Armenian genocide 07:26  |  American 27/03/08
      72.   Armenian genocide </