YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. During a press briefing on June 5 Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan touched upon the debate of the issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition by Israel’s Knesset (parliament), reports Armenpress.

Tigran Balayan said the Armenian Genocide recognition process is of great importance for Armenia, and Armenia will continue playing a leading role in the efforts of the international community on this path.

“The recognition of the crime of genocide is a process of reaffirming the supremacy of universal values, human rights aimed at preventing similar crimes, ruling out their repetition regardless of the internal political context and geopolitical reality”, the MFA spokesperson said.

Tigran Balayan said dozens of resolutions on the Armenian Genocide adopted by different countries and international structures prove that the international recognition process of the Armenian Genocide is irreversible.

The issue of adopting an Armenian Genocide recognition bill has appeared in the Knesset. MPs Itzik Shmuly and Amir Ohan said that they will submit a bill recognizing the massacre of nearly 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. The lawmakers stated that time has come for Israel to recognize the Armenian Genocide committed by Turks. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night delayed a ministerial debate of motions to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.

English – translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan