March 21, 2023
Source: The Blunt Post

By Vic Gerami

On Monday, March 20th, the Armenian Genocide Square was inaugurated in the city center of Haifa, Israel. City Councilmember Nir Schuber championed the project.

The ceremony took place despite great pressure from the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv. The Turkish Ambassador to Israel had demanded that the country’s government ban the erection of the monument in Haifa. In response to Turkey’s request, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the government has no right to obstruct the decision of the city council.

Present at the event were the City of Haifa’s Mayor Einat Kalisch Rotem, City Council members, the Armenian Ambassador to Israel HE Dr. Arman Agopian, representatives of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and representatives of various communities of Haifa.

Earlier this month the City Council of Haifa voted unanimously to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and erect a memorial to the victims in the city.

Haifa thus becomes the second city in Israel to recognize the Armenian Genocide after Petah Tikva (east of Tel Aviv), where a memorial to the victims was erected in April 2020.

During her speech, Mayor Rotem said, ‘The city of Haifa chose to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, thus expressing its support and sharing the pain of the living Armenian community members. We understand the historical importance of remembering the genocide and passing it on to future generations, because as a Jewish people we have a moral obligation not to ignore the injustice done to another nation.’

And the author of the project, Councilmember Schuber expressed hope that State of Israel will soon join the USA and other European countries, which have already recognized the Armenian Genocide. ‘We stand firmly next to our Armenian brothers,’ concluded Councilmember Schuber.