Members of the Armenian community in Jerusalem pay tribute to the 1.5 million massacred from 1915-1923
JERUSALEM, Israel (i24 News)—Hebrew University professors and students along with representatives of the Armenian community in Jerusalem gathered Tuesday in order to pay tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians massacred by Ottoman soldiers in the Armenian genocide committed from 1915 to 1923.
The Armenian genocide, commemorated annually on April 24th, coincided with Israel’s national Holocaust Memorial Day this year. While 29 governments and parliaments recognize the systematic murder and deportation of Armenians, also known as the “Armenian Holocaust,” Israel does not. Turkey vehemently rejects the use of the term “genocide” to describe the mass killing of Armenians during World War I, arguing the episode was a collective tragedy in which both Turks and Armenians died.
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Jerusalem Tsolag Momjian addressed the crowd and affirmed that he hopes for a day when Israel recognizes the Armenian genocide.
“Yesterday Armenians all over the world commemorated the anniversary of the Armenian genocide,” he said. “Yesterday Israel also marked annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, on this occasion I would like to express my solidarity with the Jewish people who died during the Second World War.”
Very Reverend Father Samuel Aghoyan, who spoke on behalf of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, explained that, while Armenians were being killed, the world remained silent.
“The world at the time was silent and never tried to stop it, thus Armenians lost more than one and half million of their people,”Aghoyan said. “My parents were the lucky ones to escape from being killed but their relatives and brothers were the victims.”
“Turkey today vehemently denies that its ancestors committed such barbaric acts and it is sad to say that the Israeli government has not the courage to side with justice by recognizing the historical fact of genocide of the Armenians,” he said.
Aghoyan affirmed that the world has not learned the lessons of the past.
“It seems that the world has not been changed since 1915, because today we hear of and witness new genocide being carried out on different scales and in different parts of the world, “ he said, affirming that “the great powers could care less- by shutting their eyes they silently permit them to happen.”
Aghoyan issued a call saying that “It is time for Turkey to stop lying,” and admit to the “horrible and inhumane” massacres committed by its ancestors.
We did not see the Genocide, as we were not born yet. But my Father, who was six years old, when the Turkish soldiers gethered the Armenian population in a certain area of Adana, and pushed them inside the Church, then barricaded the Entrance of the Church, and poured the fuel and put the fire. Then one of the soldiers came to my father way, grabbed my grand Motherr (My father’s Mother) from the hair hit her face, then opened her belly, pulled out the unborn child as my Grand Mother was pregnant, and killed the baby then he killed the mother. My father was crying thinking that immediately after his mother’s killing, the soldier would come to him. And that’s what happened. The soldier grabbed my Father from the chest and plunged his dagger to my father waist and thruw him to the ground.
My Father was still crying. The soldier came back and repeated his act. My father was still crying. The soldier came back and repeated his act. My father was still crying. The soldier wanted to repeat his act when an old man probably Turkish too sent the soldier away, saying that the kid is dead, go away. Then he grabbed my father in his arms and took him to the nearby American Hospital, where the doctors took care of him. A few days later, his uncles, who were about 17 or 18 years old, new about my Father and took him out of the Hospital and joined the Deportation.
israel supose to be the 1st country to recognize the Armenian Genocide, looks like the holocost did not teach a lesson.
Yes it sucks that Israel does not recognize our Genocide and they have no excuse for it . Shame on Israel , but shame on you for making a comment like you have made .As an Armenian you do not have the right to say such words , the Holocaust does not teach lessons any more than the Genocidde does , AMOT KEZI
For Israel money talks Bull Sht walks
Israel is as untrustworthy as Turkey, Hitler’s killing of 6 million Jews in Germany alone is more questionable that the Armenian Genocide.
Israel follows the U.S. in politics and in many other aspects. The U.S. government is the culprit and the guilty party for not recognizing the Armenian Genocide, U.S. foreign policy is based on U.S. interests and not on justice and democracy as they claim. At the moment Turkey is an important ally to have for the U.S. even though Turkey violates all the democratic principles that the U.S, stands for. In conclusion, most Armenians love the American people but do not agree with its foreign policy. France and Russia recognized the Genocide and during the 100 year anniversary the presidents of both nations went to Yerevan to show respect to the Armenian people. Long Live Russia, France and Armenia and shame on the U.S,
I believe is other way round, U.S. follows the Israel in politics,