Israel delays ‘Armenian genocide’ vote over fears it may boost Erdogan
Israel delays a vote on a bill to recognize the alleged “Armenian genocide” over fears that it could boost Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in June 24 elections.
Members of the ruling coalition and opposition had tabled the bill after the latest war of words between Turkish and Israeli leaders, with a ministerial committee for legislation due Sunday to hold a preliminary vote on the measure.
However, the Israeli foreign ministry advised PM Benjamin Netanyahu to postpone the discussion until after the elections in Turkey "since such a discussion is liable to aid Erdogan" in the polls, ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said.
"The prime minister accepted the foreign ministry's recommendation," Nahshon added in a statement.
Israeli parliamentarian Itzik Shmuli from the opposition Zionist Union slammed the foreign ministry's explanation on the need to delay the bill as "false and ridiculous."
Turkey will go to the polls in presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, with Erdogan seeking a new mandate.
Ties between Turkey and Israeli took a turn for the worse in May after Erdogan called Netanyahu a "terrorist and occupier" following Israel's killing of dozens of Palestinian protesters in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu shot back, accusing Erdogan of committing crimes, while a top Israeli minister said a 2016 reconciliation agreement with Turkey was a mistake and called for Tel Aviv's recognition of the alleged "Armenian genocide."
The Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were killed during World War I as the Ottoman empire was falling apart.
Ankara argues that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in a civil strife when Armenians rioted against their Ottoman rulers and sided with the invaders.
Turkey’s most successful modern politician, Erdogan, remains a strong favorite to win re-election to a newly empowered executive presidency.
The Turkish president and his ruling party have been stimulating the economy while grappling with double-digit inflation and a slump in the lira against the dollar.
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