Israel won't recognize Armenian genocide, says ambassador - Diplomacy and Defense - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

Israel won't recognize Armenian genocide, says ambassador

Diplomat in Azerbaijan expresses hope to improve relations with Turkey.

Rafael Harpaz
Rafael Harpaz, Israel's ambassador to Azerbaijan / Photo by Shuliya
By Haaretz
Published 12:24 09.01.15

Israel does not plan to recognize the Armenian genocide perpetrated by Turkey, Rafael Harpaz, Israel's ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Azeri website Trend.

“Israel is a democratic country, everybody has two opinions, not one opinion,” Harpaz said. “The government has a very clear opinion.”

He said Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman had made Israel's policy clear.

Harpaz told Trend he hoped Israel's troubled relations with Turkey would improve.

"There are enough common interests and issues in the world for us to cooperate,” Harpaz reportedly said. “I would like to take an example of Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines is the biggest foreign airline which is active in Israel. Istanbul is the biggest hub for Israelis. The same goes for tourism, trade which is up. We hope that our political relations with Turkey will improve."

Harpaz has served as Israel's ambassador to Azerbaijan since 2012.



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  • 25.
    Genocide of the Armenian people in Turkey 100 years ago
    Negation of any genocide, when it is an established certainty, is not an opinion. It is a conscious denial of the truth ; Ambassador Harpaz, said plainly and openly that he does not care for the historical truth for the sake of trade with Turkey. Why not deny the genocide of the european jews during the ten years of nazi rule in Germany ? His answer might well be : why not for the sake of trade if it was a precondition for commerce with german Konzerns ? Cynical and immoral is what it is. Dan R.
  • 24.
    Genocide
    My paternal grandparents' families ( all Jews ) were murdered in the Holocaust. I am alarmed at Harpaz's cool language on the subject. How would Israelis feel if they heard that the UK would not acknowledge the Holocaust because of trade relations with Germany? I will tell you. They would call it anti semitic.
  • 23.
    Double Standard
    This IS insult to All The people and Speeches Held at holocaust remeberance day-Why remember when Israel IS denying Armenian genocide ,,s.th holocaust rememberance IS supposed to prevent??
  • 22.
    Genocide Denial should be a crime
    Interesting for Israel to be a Genocide denier! One who has cried about Genocide for a century. What they really mean is preach to others but it is not for Israel to practice. Colonial Zionists sure have a way to improve relations especially if it takes a big historical lie.
  • 21.
    so called 'genocide'
    Read what happened at that period. It was NOT genocide. All sources say the same.
  • ??
    so every historian is an idiot and didn't know how to read, just you are the ultimate scholar!!! How about we don't read and ask first-hand survivors today what happened? You're a hypocrite.
  • 20.
    genocide
    The Armenian genocide is fact and well documented. To not recognize it as such raises questions about this Israel politician.
  • 19.
    Israel called it genocide for years, and not doing so won't affect relations with Turkey
    In fact, it deserves contempt
  • 18.
    This is about maintaining the Jewish monopoly in the holocaust industry. To admit the huge numbers of others deaths undermines this.
    Its nothing to do with cozying up to Turkey.
  • 17.
    It's Turkey you fool.
    Or should I say Erdogan's Turkey? Turkey will crap on Israel when push comes to shove so why is it necessary to be so PC NOW. The Armenian Holocaust is a reality.Putting your head into the sand is insanity. As a Jew I am disappointed with Israel's stance on this matter.
  • 16.
    So
    Let's have a look: the last country on earth to sell weapons to apartheid South-Africa; selling weapons to Serbia in the '90's despite a UN embargo, not taking a stance on Ukraine and now this. Has this country any morality?
  • 15.
    Really, Mr. Ambassador?
  • 14.
    Once again pretending that we didn't see it..... Our eyes happened to be blinded at that very moment by the sun...
    How do they expect to improve relations with a demagogue spouting Anti-Semitism by the ton, who gas turned Turkey away from progressive growth towards fanatical Islam, and wants to be a new Caliph..... Israel is dreaming, and it is shameful that a nation of survivors, built on the ashes of the Holocaust, suffering genocide for thousands of years, would, when finally reaching a position where it can defend itself, would turn it's head away so that it wouldn't have to admit it saw anything.... This is typical rabbinic sophistry, we KNOW that there are dozens of authentic documentations of the genocide against the Armenian people....SHAMEFUL.
  • 13.
    it was going to the burger king to eat chicken fries, that broght me memories
    accouter, one thing was hallucinating the other was having things done...Romney to GOP donors: 'I want to be president.' remember "him" chicken fries... that was easy....
  • 12.
    Armenian Genocide
    Don't Bother ! and No Wonder ! When They STOP Denying "JESUS CHRIST" ! They will recognize Armenian Genocide !
  • 11.
    How about the Algerian genocide by the French
    More than a million people ( about 10% of the 1950s population) were massacred in Algiers during the quest for independence. Until today France has not accepted responsibility. Just like the Americans in Vietnam and Iraq or all the other European colonialists in the 19th and 20th century, not to forget the salve trade that made downtown London rich.
  • Colonialism was not outlawed until 1949. Iraq was invaded at the behest of
    Israel, though Israel refused to fight alongside the allies. There is hope that as the ICC prosecutes more war crimes, these other atrocities will cease/
  • TO HELLO
    You are right but it does not excuse denial of the Armenian Genocide
  • 10.
    Sad
    when political conveniences silence truth and justice... what a paradox!
  • 9.
    But of course...
    The word "genocide" has been trademarked by Likudniks and their allies...
  • 8.
    benefit
    So you say one should recognize the Jewish holocaust only if there's material benefit.
  • 7.
    To colonial zionists (NOT Jews) goy lives dont count.
  • Being against zionism doesn´t mean being agaist judaism.
  • 6.
    last
    One would expect Israel to be the last nation to have such an opportunist approach to genocide. I can only explain it that for Israel it concerns just Armenians and no Jews.
  • No
    It concerns money, trade and politics with Turkey. I for one fully recognise the Armenian and Kurdish holocaust perpetrated by the Turks. Turkey is awash with the blood of millions of the innocent.
  • Ataturk was Jewish
    It does concern Jews, Ataturk and the Young Turks were Doenmeh, Crypto jews
  • 5.
    What a damn disgrace.
  • 4.
    Disgusting and embarassing.
    Disgusting and embarrassing and naive.
  • 3.
    Shame
    Please, may someone explain how could the goverment of Israel not recognize the shoah of other people?
  • 2.
    genocide
    Say it isn't so-you must acknowledge the Armenian genocide. Hitler counted on the poor memory of the world when he visited genocide upon the Jews-'Who remembers the Armenians?"
  • 1.
    Maybe Harpaz should tell us what he thinks of those who deny the holocaust that the Jews endured.