CCAF welcomes Israel`s decision to officially recognize Armenian  Genocide of 1915

ArmInfo.The Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF) welcomes the historic decision of the State of Israel to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

In a statement, the diaspora organization stated that this  long-awaited step is an important step forward in establishing  historical truth in the face of pressure, intimidation, and  state-sponsored denial, which Turkey has placed at the forefront of  its foreign policy for over a century.

CCAF added that this recognition also represents important moral  reparations for the 1.5 million victims of the first genocide of the  20th century, as well as for their descendants, who for over a  century have tirelessly defended the memory of the missing, justice,  and truth.

"This struggle remains as relevant as ever. The extermination and  displacement of Armenians from their ancestral lands is, sadly, not  simply a relic of the past. The ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh,  committed by Azerbaijan in 2023 with the active support of Turkey,  was a stark reminder that pan-Turkic ideology and the politics of  hatred continue to pose an existential threat to the Armenian people.  It is particularly significant that the State of Israel, which arose  from the ashes of the Holocaust and bears the universal memory of its  extermination, has decided to break with realpolitik considerations  and call this crime by its name.

As the Israeli Foreign Minister stated, 'It is never too late to do  the right thing.' This statement underscores a fundamental truth:  silence and denial never preserve peace; on the contrary, they  contribute to the repetition of crimes," the CCAF statement reads.

It goes on to note that with this decision, Israel reaffirms its  commitment to the values of justice, truth, and accountability that  guided its founding. "By recognizing the Armenian Genocide, it  affirms that the memory of the victims cannot be subordinated to the  diplomatic interests of the moment," the Armenian organization added.

CCAF hopes that this historic decision, in turn, will push Turkey  toward a genuine process of truth-seeking.  "It is time for Ankara to  cease being the political heir to the Young Turk leaders' denial of  the genocide, to abandon the glorification of the perpetrators of the  genocide, and finally to pave the way for reconciliation based on the  recognition of facts, justice, and respect for the memory of the  victims. Recognition of the truth is not directed against any people.  On the contrary, it is a necessary condition for lasting peace  between peoples and the prevention of future crimes," the  organization concluded.

As previously reported, on June 28, the Israeli government  unanimously recognized the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman  Empire during World War I as genocide. The initiative was put forward  by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. The document will now be  sent to the Knesset for approval.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry sharply criticized Israel's initiative.