Armenian Patriarchy of Jerusalem Waiting for the Formation of New Israeli Government

PanARMENIAN.Net - The victory of "Kadima" in parliamentary elections was not so convincing. This is why for the formation of parliamentary majority Olmert needs the support of at least four political forces. Up to now it is known for sure that the coalition will include the left-centrist "Avoda" party and the surprise-of-elections party of pensioners. Still undecided is the involvement "Our Home Israel" (OHI) party which mainly unites Russian speakers, parties of "Shas" religious orthodoxies and the left-wing "Merets" party. Let us try to analyze government formation perspectives from the point of view of national interests of Armenia.

Official Yerevan and the Armenian community of Israel have partners among the members of once ruling and currently radically oppositionist "Likoud" party. Among such partners we may with great reserve call the name of former Soviet dissident, ex-minister of labor Natan Sheransky who has been in the same prison with Paruyr Hairikyan, Ashot Navasardyan and Andranik Margaryan and bravely spoke out for the necessity of recognizing Armenian genocide. Being on the minister's post Sheransky did not take any measures in that issue. Nevertheless we can suppose that being in opposition it will be easier for him to criticize the administration's attempts to politicalize the issue of Armenian genocide. (Today the official position of Israel concerning Armenian genocide is that it should be discussed by historians and not politicians). Just before elections I managed to interview Mr. Sheransky in Jerusalem. In the interview on the perspectives of Armenian genocide recognition he said: "I have been one of those who tried to raise that question. But you have to understand that Israel still cannot make a braver step towards recognition than the world community, particularly the USA. You should not expect Israel's recognition of genocide before United States. But if the world community gives an appropriate political appraisal to the genocide, we shall be among countries supporting that".

Armenians have allies also in "Merets" and OHI. But those political parties cannot exist in the same team. The government will include either the left-oriented leader Iosy Bailey or the head of the right-oriented Avigdor Lieberman. Founders of "Merets" Iosy Bailey and Iosy Sarid are known as consistent fighters for the recognition of Armenian genocide. Being in government they have many times raised the genocide issue. "I have done and will do everything possible to achieve Israel's recognition of Armenian genocide. It is a crime against humanity and there cannot be a more horrible crime than the genocide of Armenians. Jews being victims of hatred bear greater responsibility and have to be more attentive to other victims. The one who turns a deaf ear to crime, actually assists criminals", said Sarid in April, 2005 in Yerevan. Similar to Sarid's is the announcement of the current head of the party - Iosy Bailey. In 1994, being on the deputy foreign minister's post, in reply to the TV speech of the Turkish ambassador he said: "Things that happened in 1915 were not war, but massacre and genocide".

Of course, it would be extremely naïve to suppose that people with such a way of thinking would enter the government. But the chances of "Merets" to get ministerial positions are not so good, since it has only 5 mandates, whereas OHI has 12. On Monday, the leaders of "Merets" party announced that Olmert will most likely prefer Lieberman's team. On the second place in Lieberman's party list (OHI) is the head of inter-parliamentarian commission for Armenian-Israeli cooperation Yuri Shtern who, accompanying the supreme rabbi Iona Metzger in his visit to Yerevan, announced that he would promote recognition of Armenian genocide. "I myself recognize the historical fact and am sure that putting aside Turkey's policy, it is necessary to agree with history", said Metzger during his visit to Tsitsernakaberd.


If OHI enters the ruling coalition, Yuri Shtern will most likely get a "light" ministerial position. The appointment of the former Muscovite to a ministerial post will make it easier for Armenian and Israeli governments to find common language.
But the trouble is that currently, former Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister Shimon Peres speaks against the inclusion of OHI in the ruling coalition. It should be noted that Olmert wants to see Shimon Peres on the vice-premier's post in his cabinet. Peres says: "Either me or Lieberman's team". To put it shortly, the involvement of Peres in the cabinet of ministers is extremely undesirable for Armenia. Worsening of Armenian-Israeli relations occurred in the period when Peres was occupying the Foreign Minster's post. Peres is a promoter of strong strategic partnership with Turkey and Azerbaijan. This is why he claims that there has been no genocide of Armenians in Turkey. "It is impossible to assert that Armenians have suffered genocide like Jews did. Identification of Jews with Armenians in this issue is inadmissible", Peres said in April, 2001.

Another threat for us is the possible involvement of the Sefard "Shas" religious party that demands the position of Internal Affairs Minister. This appointment cannot but alarm Armenian patriarchy of Jerusalem since Judaic orthodoxies hold a radical position towards the status of Jerusalem and speak out for giving a force of state laws to Judaic canons. This perspective alarms not only representatives of ethnic and religious minorities of Israel, but also the Jewish intelligentsia who are against the refusal from temporal social structure in the country.

Staying of "Kadima" party in power allows supposing that there will not be serious changes in the relations between Tel-Aviv and Yerevan and the former administration's striving to build dialogue with Armenia will continue. But the fact is that elections have to some extent thrown back the beginning of a very important stage in Armenian-Israeli relations. Yet at the end of 2005 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel was ready to appoint an ambassador in Armenia but the change of government did not allow the foreign ministry to do that. Armenian issues are still dealt with by the Israeli ambassador in Georgia which means that our country is still playing a secondary role for Israel. The political leadership of Israel has finally made a decision on appointing an ambassador to Armenia, whose residence however will be in Jerusalem and not in Yerevan. The ambassador will arrive in Armenia several times a year. "The reason for this is connected not with politics but merely with the shortage of funds", told me the head of Eurasian countries department of the Israeli foreign ministry Anna Azary. It will be possible to return to the issue of appointing an ambassador already after the appointment of a minister and determination of new foreign policy priorities of Ehoud Olmert's government. Thus, we should only wait and hope that the new minister will not decide to revive the policy of Simon Peres whose resignation brought about certain improvements in the relations between our countries.