April 16, 2010 - 16:19 AMT
Haim Oron to initiate debate on Armenian Genocide in Knesset April 28

Chairman of Meretz bloc and member of the Israeli Knesset Haim Oron, who is the main supporter of the Armenian Genocide recognition, will submit a debate on the issue on April 28. However, according to him, his expectations are more than skeptical.

As April 24, when this date is commemorated worldwide, is Saturday, Oron is going to offer this delicate issue for a discussion on April 28, after the parliamentary vacation.

“I stay in touch with Armenian organizations, but this year the government will bury this issue sooner than last time,” Izsrus portal quoted Oron as saying. “Currently Yerevan and Ankara are in a process of negotiations, and many people do not recommend interfering. I do not see any connection between the events which happened 95 years ago and current geopolitics of the region, but these are the realities.”

After the appointment of Ze’ev Elkin of Likud party to the post of chairman of the coalition, Oron has lost his ally in the struggle for the Armenian Genocide recognition. “Earlier, he was the leader of Israel-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, however, now we shall wait to see what pressure will be exerted on him by the coalition fellows. I will talk to him soon… Despite sharp cooling in the Turkish-Israeli relations and many people’s desire to do a bad turn to Turkey, I have skeptical expectations,” said Oron.