One of our challenges as a global nation is to express public empathy and support for those experiencing the horror of man’s inhumanity. There should be a special bond between peoples who have suffered unspeakable atrocities, but it is not always a certainty. Armenians have for too long been mired in our own tragedies. Where were we when the Bosnia, Darfur or Rwanda genocides were happening and in their aftermaths? The unspoken excuse may be that there are limited cultural or political intersections to spur our interest. Apparently, our common existence as humans is not sufficient. There needs to be a relationship, common history or geopolitical connection for most nations, including Armenians, to stand up. This is unfortunate and reflects our need to mature as a global community. Tragically, the instability of our world affords us many opportunities to stand against oppression and atrocities. As victims of genocide, we should be the first to oppose violations of the human dignity of others. Shared interests are the key to political alliances, yet we remain silent.
Tragically, the instability of our world affords us many opportunities to stand against oppression and atrocities. As victims of genocide, we should be the first to oppose violations of the human dignity of others. Shared interests are the key to political alliances, yet we remain silent.
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Who are the innocent? Aren’t they the women and children who got killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7? Children, women, innocent party goers were taken hostage. What was Israel supposed to do? Not to take action? Why the terrorists hide among civilians in Gaza? They make them targets too.
Who’s Hamas biggest supporter? Where does the leaders of Hamas live? Yes, in Turkey.
Just like little Armenia is surrounded by 100 million bloodthirsty Turks, little Israel is surrounded by 500 million Arabs, Turks and Iranians. Both countries face existential threats.
Armenians would support Israel in its fight to exist. Armenians supporting Islamic terrorists, the allies of Turkey, are dead wrong. They shouldn’t be naive.
Diodotus Bactrianos, let me take you back to 1948 when Palestine was invaded by Jews, there were 2 million Palestinians living in Palestine what has now become Israel. Palestinians are fighting for their homeland just like we Armenians are fighting for our homeland. Think of the Turks who invaded Constantinople in the 15th century. You don’t think the Greeks are entitled to take back their homeland? While Turkey has become the cancer of Europe, Israel has become the cancer of the Middle East. Think of Israel aiding AZ and Turkey invading NK recently. Are we not entitled to reclaim out homeland?
Palestine was never invaded by Jews. They always lived there, not all of them went into exile after their expulsion from the Romans. The crusaders in the 11th century, when they conquered Jerusalem, slaughtered the Jews too. In the 19th century with the emergence of Zionism, the Jewish agency was buying land in Palestine way above the going price. There were lines of Palestinians waiting to sell their land.
The Palestinians are Arabs, they say it themselves. They conquered the land in the 7th and 8th century during the caliphate.
The Palestinians rejected many times the offers of Israel for a peaceful coexistence. They want to exterminate the Jews. Just like their friend, Turkey did to the Armenians.
Before the genocide of 1915, 1.5 million Armenians lived in the Ottoman empire. How many live in Turkey now? 2-3,000 the most and all in Istanbul. None in the Armenian provinces of Van, Cilicia, etc. You said 2 million Palestinians lived in Palestine before 1948. Now there are more, even in Gaza. Where do you see the genocide of Palestinians by Israel?
I’m Greek from Cyprus and I’m a refugee from the Turkish invasion of 1974. I have a lot of Armenian friends. It hurts me when I see naive Armenians or Greeks support the Palestinian terrorists, the close allies of Turkey
Nora – what specific year in history would you like all of humanity to revert back to? 1948? 1915? 1491? 301? “the 15th century”? We’ll bring back all the countries / empires / city-states that existed during that time, and their borders, whether that is the Roman Empire, Prussia, USSR, Yugoslavia, Assyria, etc. At some point, even before Armenia’s 5,000 year history, all land “belonged” to someone else. Then was invaded, conquered, invaded again, etc. So it seems to entirely depend on what year / time period you want to focus on for who “owns” the land.
Also – was Jesus not a Jew from the exact region where Israel is now? Sounds like Jews “belong” there, based on your logic of homelands. By rights, that 2,000+ years of history should trump Palestinians, right? Or what exactly defines “homelands” and who is “entitled” to “take back”? If you’re living in America, YOU are also a “colonizer” and should immediately hand any property you have to Native Americans (and probably leave the country entirely). Or at least, they’re entitled to take back their homelands, no?