Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Responds to Israeli Ambassador's Remarks on Garegin Nzhdeh

The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on remarks made by Israeli Ambassador to Armenia, Yoel Lion, regarding the Armenian military and state figure Garegin Nzhdeh, which were expressed on January 1. On the anniversary of Nzhdeh’s birth, a group of individuals held a protest in front of his monument while using Nazi symbols.

Following this, Ambassador Lion wrote on social media that "the glorification of Garegin Nzhdeh, who was an ally of the Nazis, is unacceptable" and that "authorities should adopt a strong stance against any form of neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism." In his post, he also tagged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

As there was no public comment, the media sent a request to the Ministry for clarification on Lion's statements. The Ministry requested additional time and responded a month later, declaring that they consider any actions prompted by intolerance based on national or religious grounds, as well as the exploitation of such themes for political, propaganda, or other purposes, unacceptable.

“Meanwhile, foreign diplomats accredited in Armenia should demonstrate respectful behavior and refrain from responding to provocations that are not related to the government or people of the host country,” the statement said.

It is noteworthy that even during the Soviet regime, Nzhdeh was not accused of being an ally of the Nazis. Moreover, he was never a traitor to his homeland as he was never a citizen of the USSR. In the USSR, he was accused of "counter-revolutionary activity," "anti-Soviet" rebellion, and for the "mass killings of communists during that rebellion."