YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS.  Dr. Rafael Medoff, Director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies in Washington, D.C., published an article, criticizing Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, South Africa’s ruling party and Palestinian Authorities for accusing Israel of genocide. “It seems as if every time Israel defends itself, somebody points an accusing finger and yells “Genocide!” Raphael Lemkin, who coined that term 70 years ago this autumn, would have been appalled by such abuse of his life’s work,” reports “Armenpress”, in reference to JNS.org.

The author noted that Lemkin was galvanized by the failure of the international community to prosecute Turkish officials involved in the genocide of approximately one million Armenians between 1914 and 1918. “No doubt Lemkin would have been disappointed by President Barack Obama’s decision to refrain from recognizing the Armenian genocide. The Obama administration has even refused to permit the public display of an elaborate rug sent by Armenian orphans to the White House in 1925 as a gesture of appreciation for U.S. relief assistance. Apparently, the administration fears Turkey would be offended if the rug is exhibited, since its display will remind the world of the Armenian genocide,” he mentioned.

According to him, for the term “genocide” to have any meaning, it must be used strictly in situations that indisputably warrant such a determination, according to the legal definition. Applying it or withholding it based on political considerations will render the term useless.