On the threshold of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, “Ararat” Armenian community of Israel called on the Israelis to recognize the 1915 Genocide.

Armenian Genocide is the first large scale crime in the modern history committed with an aim to exterminate an entire nation, community said in a statement. Israeli Armenians recalled that Genocide claimed lives of 2 million Armenians, while around 800,000 refugees fled the country that was inhabited by their ancestors for thousands of years.

The fact of the Armenian Genocide is recognized by many states. It was first recognized in 1965 by Uruguay. In general, the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey has already been recognized by 21 countries and 43 out of 50 U.S. states.

The state of Israel whose people survived Holocaust and lost six million innocent people has not recognized the Armenian Genocide so far, the statement said.

“Ararat” community urges intellectuals and NGOs call on the parliament and Israeli government to follow the lead of other states and recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide.