Antony Loewenstein

The hypocrisy of the ADL, B’nai B’rith and JINSA is staggering. It is universally accepted that over a million Armenians were killed at the hands of the Turkish military early last century, yet the self-appointed moral watchman of Jewish human rights in the US, Abe Foxman, is lobbying against the recognition of this event.

Soon after the meeting with Gul, the ADL joined three other American Jewish organizations—the American Jewish Committee, B’nai Brith International, and the Jewish Institute of National Security Affairs—to deliver to Congress a written plea from the Jews of Turkey that the U.S. not recognize the Armenian Genocide. Turkish Jews are more vulnerable now than at any time in recent history as they struggle to reassert their place in a society polarized by the competing visions of Turkey’s Islamists and secular nationalists, so it is hardly surprising that they would parrot their government’s denialist claims. By dutifully passing their letter to Congress, the Jewish American groups cynically exploited a small, frightened Jewish minority.

For the ADL, B’nai B’rith and JINSA, all human lives other than Jewish are not only expendable, but to be exploited. So much for “never again”.

Even more disturbing is that Foxman and co have seen fit to deny the recognition of the Armenian genocide rather than apply their notable influence on the Turkish government to protect the Jewish population of Turkey. According to FBI whistle blower, Sibel Edmonds, Dennis Hastert (former speaker of the US House of Congress), received US$500,000 to block the last vote on the Armenian genocide. Perhaps Foxman’s cooperation was similarly induced?