On April 13-14, the American University of Armenia hosted a Colloquium on “Genocide and literature. Israeli and Armenian Comparative Perspectives”. During the two-day conference, the Armenian and Israeli speakers addressed topics relating to the Armenian Genocide. A conference participant, Israeli novelist, editor, founder and director of the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies, Ora Ahimeir, is planning to publish a novel on the Armenian Genocide in Hebrew language, which will be published in October 2016. The novel is the first book about the genocide in the Hebrew language, “The book is about the Armenian Genocide. I especially talk about the fate of the Armenian women during the genocide as well as the Armenian-Jewish relations. What has been changed 100 years ago and today? The book is about the people seeking shelter and peace and their fate. Here, it becomes clear how the histories of our nations are close. People reading this book will understand that the Armenian Genocide is similar to Holocaust. Reading this, I believe that the people will have the feeling that the recognition of the Genocide is a moral issue.”
At the Colloquium, during the speech of Israeli scholar and historian Yair Auron, the AUA students holding posters on “Shame on Israel, recognize the Armenian Genocide,” “Your unmanned devices are killing us” were expressing their protest against Israel for selling weapons to Azerbaijan. In response to this protest, the historian talked about this issue, noting that it has been 10 years since Israel is cooperating with Azerbaijan, which is shameful for the Israeli scientist, “I have tried to influence this activity and have written articles about it, I have even visited Artsakh. I think our society is with Armenia and agrees with the Armenians. Apparently, the Jews should be the first to stand next to the Armenians and recognize the Armenian Genocide. Unfortunately, it has not happened until now, in doing so we are betraying the victims of the Holocaust and their memory.”
Arpi KIRAKOSYAN
