Only 23-24 countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide, therefore future genocides cannot be prevented, said Israeli historian, scholar and expert specializing on Holocaust and Genocide studies, Head of the Department of Sociology, Political Science and Communication of The Open University of Israel and an Associate Professor Yair Auron during the global forum "Against Genocide Crimes" which is taking place in Yerevan these days.
"By denying the Armenian Genocide we prepare grounds for new ones. Only 23-24 countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide, therefore future genocides cannot be prevented. You have been victims of genocide and genocide denial. Until it is recognized the Armenians will suffer from that denial trauma and balance the struggle for recognition with existence", he said.
He added that Turkey would never become a democratic society until it recognizes the Armenian Genocide. According to him, Ankara is to recognize the genocide in order to promote its country's democratization. Auron has mentioned that the U.S. does not recognize the Genocide. Even if Obama raises the issue, it will mean nothing for this is to be done at the governmental level.
He believes Germany should bear in mind its past and be the first one to recognize the Armenian Genocide. "Most of us are just gawkers who sit on their hands while people are being murdered in the Middle East. There is no third party in a genocide - either one is on the side of the victim or no - if one does not support the victim, he supports the murderers", he said. He added that countries that do not recognize the genocide, deny it by default, therefore, they support Turkey's denial policy.
According to him, Israel does not recognize the Armenian Genocide, sometimes it even denies it, and meanwhile, this country should be one of the first countries to recognize the crime. "When we deny the Armenian Genocide, we betray the memory of our victims", he said. He thanked the organizers of the forum for holding discussions on all the genocides of the 20th century.