The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a foundation committed to fighting anti-Semitism, had previously called the events of 1915 "persecution" and had dismissed its New England regional representative Andrew Tarsy when he had spoken of a "genocide". He has been reinstated.

ADL national director Foxman said that he had spoken to Tarsy and realised that they agreed: "I have decided to reinstate him and am happy."

No retraction 

Foxman said that Prime Minister Erdogan's interpretation of a retraction by ADL had been caused by a "letter of apology to the Turkish people", which was published a day after an article in which he emphasised that the organisation "recognised a genocide and would not hesitate to define it as such."

The article, which was published in The Jewish Advocate of the Boston area and also on the ADL website, reiterated the organisation's opposition to a draft law related to the "genocide", but said that it recognised the events of 1915 as such.

Congress decision unhelpful

Foxman said that he believed that Congress decisions on such issues would be harmful and not help the rapprochement of Turks and Armenians.

Armenian tragedy cannot be ignored 

"As a foundation defending the rights of Jews, we had a dilemma. As an institution which has committed itself to fighting not only anti-Semitism, but also to educating people about the dangers of any kind of hate, we could not have neglected the terrible tragedy that befell the Armenians." 

The Boston Globe said that, in an interview with the newspaper on 21 August, "Foxman said that for some time he has privately believed that the mass killings constituted a genocide, but thought that describing them as atrocities or massacres was enough. Yesterday, he said, he realized this description was dividing the Jewish community and the ADL changed its position." (GG/AG)