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National Post (Canada)
October 19, 2007 Friday
National Edition
Turkey's rage felt by its own Jews; Genocide Vote; Community fears it
may by used as scapegoat
by: Louis Meixler, Bloomberg News
Pg. A20
ISTANBUL - Turkey's rage over a U.S. congressional resolution
accusing it of genocide against Armenians nearly a century ago is
being felt in quarters far removed from Washington: its own Jewish
community.
Turkish Jews' concerns for their safety have been fanned by comments
from Ali Babacan, the Foreign Minister, that there's a perception in
the country Jews and Armenians "are now hand-in-hand trying to defame
Turkey."
Even as support for the measure fades in Congress, it has intensified
feelings of vulnerability among Turkey's 23,000 Jews, who have been
subjected to terrorist bombings.
"There have been insinuations that our security and well-being in
Turkey is linked to the fate" of the resolution, Jewish leaders said
in a half-page ad in the Washington Times urging its rejection.
"Public opinion is so emotional on the issue that they seem to blame
everyone who may not have been able to block it," said Sami Kohen, a
prominent member of the Jewish community in Istanbul and a columnist
for the Milliyet newspaper.
"Some elements -- Islamists and ultranationalists -- might use the
Jews as a scapegoat and say they have failed, they have done
nothing."
Armenian groups say 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a campaign
of genocide as the Ottoman Empire collapsed at the end of the First
World War and a new Turkish republic was established. Turkey says
that number is inflated, and Turks and Armenians alike were killed in
large numbers.
Turkey, which has close ties with Israel, has long relied on lobbying
from Jewish groups in Washington to help fend off proposals like the
one endorsed by a House of Representatives panel Oct. 10. But the
alliance suffered a blow when the Anti-Defamation League, the largest
U.S. organization aimed at combating anti-Semitism, said in August
the killings of Armenians were "tantamount to genocide," though it
still opposed the congressional resolution.
Mr. Babacan, in an Oct. 6 interview with Turkey's Vatan newspaper,
said "we would not be able to keep the Jews out of this business" if
the resolution is adopted.
Three days later, he told the Jerusalem Post "the perception in
Turkey right now is that the Jewish people, or the Jewish
organizations let's say, and the Armenian diaspora, the Armenian
lobbies, are now hand-in-hand trying to defame Turkey."
A Foreign Ministry spokesman issued a statement the day after the
Jerusalem Post interview, saying leaders of the "Jewish community,
which is a part of our society, have from the beginning rejected the
unjust and wrong contents" of the genocide resolution.
But Mr. Kohen said "this publicity could make ... life difficult" for
Jews in Turkey.
On the Web site of the Islamic-leaning Zaman newspaper, 22% of the
869 people who had responded to an online survey by yesterday blamed
"Jews having legitimized the genocide claims" for the resolution
getting as far as it has.
"This perception has to be fought by the government, which must
de-link the American Jews and the resolution," said Soner Cagaptay,
an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
"A lot of Jewish groups are working to defeat the resolution."
So is President George W. Bush, who has tried to prevent a
Congressional vote and said Wednesday Congress "has more important
work to do than antagonizing a democratic ally in the Muslim world."
The Turkish government recalled its ambassador after last week's
panel vote. U.S. relations with Turkey, the only Muslim member of
NATO and a key supply route for troops in Iraq, were further strained
by Wednesday's vote by the Turkish parliament to approve a possible
attack on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.
Leaders of the Jewish community in Turkey declined to be interviewed.
While there have been no reports of increased security at Jewish
sites, security is already high. Most synagogues are unmarked and
guarded by police.
In November, 2003, terrorists linked to al-Qaeda slammed truck bombs
into two synagogues in Istanbul, killing 25 people, mostly Muslim
bystanders and shopkeepers. In 1986, Palestinian gunmen entered the
main synagogue, firing guns and lobbing grenades at Sabbath
worshippers, killing at least 22.
October 19, 2007 Friday
National Edition
Turkey's rage felt by its own Jews; Genocide Vote; Community fears it
may by used as scapegoat
by: Louis Meixler, Bloomberg News
Pg. A20
ISTANBUL - Turkey's rage over a U.S. congressional resolution
accusing it of genocide against Armenians nearly a century ago is
being felt in quarters far removed from Washington: its own Jewish
community.
Turkish Jews' concerns for their safety have been fanned by comments
from Ali Babacan, the Foreign Minister, that there's a perception in
the country Jews and Armenians "are now hand-in-hand trying to defame
Turkey."
Even as support for the measure fades in Congress, it has intensified
feelings of vulnerability among Turkey's 23,000 Jews, who have been
subjected to terrorist bombings.
"There have been insinuations that our security and well-being in
Turkey is linked to the fate" of the resolution, Jewish leaders said
in a half-page ad in the Washington Times urging its rejection.
"Public opinion is so emotional on the issue that they seem to blame
everyone who may not have been able to block it," said Sami Kohen, a
prominent member of the Jewish community in Istanbul and a columnist
for the Milliyet newspaper.
"Some elements -- Islamists and ultranationalists -- might use the
Jews as a scapegoat and say they have failed, they have done
nothing."
Armenian groups say 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a campaign
of genocide as the Ottoman Empire collapsed at the end of the First
World War and a new Turkish republic was established. Turkey says
that number is inflated, and Turks and Armenians alike were killed in
large numbers.
Turkey, which has close ties with Israel, has long relied on lobbying
from Jewish groups in Washington to help fend off proposals like the
one endorsed by a House of Representatives panel Oct. 10. But the
alliance suffered a blow when the Anti-Defamation League, the largest
U.S. organization aimed at combating anti-Semitism, said in August
the killings of Armenians were "tantamount to genocide," though it
still opposed the congressional resolution.
Mr. Babacan, in an Oct. 6 interview with Turkey's Vatan newspaper,
said "we would not be able to keep the Jews out of this business" if
the resolution is adopted.
Three days later, he told the Jerusalem Post "the perception in
Turkey right now is that the Jewish people, or the Jewish
organizations let's say, and the Armenian diaspora, the Armenian
lobbies, are now hand-in-hand trying to defame Turkey."
A Foreign Ministry spokesman issued a statement the day after the
Jerusalem Post interview, saying leaders of the "Jewish community,
which is a part of our society, have from the beginning rejected the
unjust and wrong contents" of the genocide resolution.
But Mr. Kohen said "this publicity could make ... life difficult" for
Jews in Turkey.
On the Web site of the Islamic-leaning Zaman newspaper, 22% of the
869 people who had responded to an online survey by yesterday blamed
"Jews having legitimized the genocide claims" for the resolution
getting as far as it has.
"This perception has to be fought by the government, which must
de-link the American Jews and the resolution," said Soner Cagaptay,
an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
"A lot of Jewish groups are working to defeat the resolution."
So is President George W. Bush, who has tried to prevent a
Congressional vote and said Wednesday Congress "has more important
work to do than antagonizing a democratic ally in the Muslim world."
The Turkish government recalled its ambassador after last week's
panel vote. U.S. relations with Turkey, the only Muslim member of
NATO and a key supply route for troops in Iraq, were further strained
by Wednesday's vote by the Turkish parliament to approve a possible
attack on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.
Leaders of the Jewish community in Turkey declined to be interviewed.
While there have been no reports of increased security at Jewish
sites, security is already high. Most synagogues are unmarked and
guarded by police.
In November, 2003, terrorists linked to al-Qaeda slammed truck bombs
into two synagogues in Istanbul, killing 25 people, mostly Muslim
bystanders and shopkeepers. In 1986, Palestinian gunmen entered the
main synagogue, firing guns and lobbing grenades at Sabbath
worshippers, killing at least 22.