Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Submit Press Release
  • Toggle search form
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community Activism
  • Former City Hall reporter Ray Hanania, ShawnTe Raines-Welch and Nick Kantas, candidates for Judge in the 4th SubCircuit, and Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar.
    Nearly 100 candidates, officials address Arab Democratic Club forum Sunday American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    Arabs and Muslim blast Mayor lightfoot for racist store closings American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Chicago aldermen to host “forum” to explore Mayor Lightfoot’s racist crackdown on Arab stores Activism
  • Imam Jamal Saad leads the more than 1,000 muslim attendees in payer at SeatGeek Stadium's open grounds at the Eid al-Fitr celebration May 2, 2022 in Bridgeview
    Local Illinois officials join Chicagoland Muslims for Eid Celebration at SeatGeek stadium American Arabs
  • DCEO Panel discussion on business support opportunities for all businesses including Arab American businesses, April 26, 2022
    DCEO Access to Capital: Arab American Heritage Month business workshop American Arabs
  • DCEO Celebrates Arab American Heritage Month (AAHM) American Arabs
  • Alderman Raymond Lopez addresses the gathering at an Iftar hosted by Radi Abuhashish Thursday April 21, 2022 joined by Dr. Willie Wilson and other candidates for Chicago Mayor.
    Political candidates join local Arab leaders for Iftar Activism
  • U.S. Congressional Candidate Rob Cruz in the 6th District GOP Primary election June 28, 2022
    Republican Candidate for U.S. Congress, Rob Cruz, Opens a Dialogue with the Palestinian Community American Arabs
  • Peak Rock Capital affiliate completes acquisition of Ziyad Brothers, a leading provider of brander Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Chicago aldermen to host forum on Arab businesses closed by Mayor Lightfoot American Arabs
  • April 24, 2022 Illinois DCEO American ArabChamber event
    American Arab Chamber and DCEO host online panel to help Arab Businesses secure funding Activism
  • Oussama Jammal presents Congresswoman Marie Newman with the Courage Award during the USCMO Annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner. Photo courtesy of Marie Newman Facebook Page
    Newman endorsed by major Arab and Muslim leaders Activism
  • Chicago ALderman Raymond Lopez announces his candidacy for Mayor of Chicago on Wednesday April 6, 2022. Photo courtesy of Ray Lopez announcement video
    Champion of Arab American rights Ray Lopez announces for Mayor American Arabs
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6 American Arabs

Leading Muslims turn backs on Armenian genocide

Posted on April 22, 2015April 29, 2015 By rayhanania No Comments on Leading Muslims turn backs on Armenian genocide
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

While the World is pausing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the massacre of more than one million Armenians by the former Ottoman Empire, many major Muslim American organizations and Arab World leaders have been either silent or have argued that the Armenian genocide is little more than a part of World War I. Armenians, who are Christian, have lived among Palestinians and the Arabs for centuries and have been powerful advocates of Palestinian rights.

By Ray Hanania

English: Armenian military forces in Ottoman E...
Armenian military forces were forced to serve in Ottoman Empire during World War I. But their citizens were massacred. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The word “genocide” represents one of the most reprehensible acts of inhumanity on earth, symbolizing the intentional murder of a specific target based on their race, nationality or their religion. The word first came into use in 1943 by writer Polish American writer Raphael Lemkin specifically in reference to the Ottoman massacres of Armenian Christians that began in 1915. The word “Genos” is Greek for “family, tribe or race” and “cide” is the Latin word for “killing.”

On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire that had ruled for more than five centuries claiming to be benevolent to the non-Muslim “people of the book” — dhimmi system overseeing Christians and Jews — rounded up more than 250 intellectuals and activists from the Armenian community that lived in Constantinople, which has been renamed by the Ottoman Turks as Istanbul, and murdered them.

The Ottomans also targeted other Christian minority groups including Assyrians, Chaldeans and Orthodox Arabs and Greeks and over the course of the war, murdered more than one million. Some estimates put the total killed at 1.5 million, making it only the second worst mass murder in the 20th Century second only to the Nazi Holocaust of more than 6 million Jews during World War II.

“Armenia” is recognized as being the first nation in the world to adopt the Christian religion. It’s land mass hugged the Mediterranean Sea. The Eastern part existed in Persia and the Western part in the Ottoman Empire. It received its independence in 1918, but two years later was occupied by the Soviet Union, only to receive its independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Communist Empire.

Íslenska : Ottóman Heimsveldið Ottoman Empire,...
Íslenska : Ottóman Heimsveldið Ottoman Empire, 1481-1683 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Officials of modernday Turkey deny that the Armenians were massacred and they claim that the killings were a part of the growing conflict in the region beginning with the Balkan Wars before World War I. Turkey has wavered in its solidarity with the Arab World, sometimes working with and most recently criticizing the brutal military oppressive nation of Israel, but it is a part of the Muslim World.

As the anniversary approached, many Muslim organizations around the world felt compelled to question the authenticity of the massacres and to defend Turkey, not because it is a secular Muslim nation but because it is a Muslim nation. The defense is an act of Muslim solidarity. The largest Muslim organization in the United States, the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the largest umbrella group of mainstream Muslim American organizations, issued a statement criticizing the use of the word “genocide” to describe the massacres and called for more investigations. Click here to read the statement.

In contrast, Christians across the world have expressed sympathy to the killing of the Armenians by the Ottomans, and even leaders of the American Jewish community, including the viciously anti-Arab American Jewish Committee, have condemned the genocide and expressed solidarity with the Armenians. Pope Francis commemorated the genocide during services on April 12, 2015 at the Vatican. President Barack Obama acknowledge the massacre, but did not use the word genocide.

Sadly, the issue of Armenian Genocide has been a political football played by all sides.

Image taken from a story by Henry Morgenthau, former US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire,  published in 1918. Original description: "THOSE WHO FELL BY THE WAYSIDE. Scenes like this were common all over the Armenian provinces, in the spring and summer months of 1915. Death in its several forms---massacre, starvation, exhaustion---destroyed the larger part of the refugees. The Turkish policy was that of extermination under the guise of deportation" (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
Image taken from a story by Henry Morgenthau, former US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, published in 1918. Original description: “THOSE WHO FELL BY THE WAYSIDE. Scenes like this were common all over the Armenian provinces, in the spring and summer months of 1915. Death in its several forms—massacre, starvation, exhaustion—destroyed the larger part of the refugees. The Turkish policy was that of extermination under the guise of deportation” (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

The real tragedy is that the Armenians have lived and suffered with Arabs and Muslims through the centuries at the hands of tyrants, dictatorships and colonizers. Armenian Christians have lived in Palestine’s Christian community and often identify themselves as Palestinians. In fact, many of my oldest family friends are Armenians whose families lived in Bethlehem and were persecuted, oppressed and victimized by the Israeli occupiers.

Armenian Christians have shared in the suffering at the hands of Israel and at the hands of Muslim tyrants and Muslim extremists, such as al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIS) which intentionally targets Christian victims with beheadings. Many Christians in the Muslim World are persecuted because of their religion. When a Muslim converts to Christianity, they are often murdered by mobs with little protection from the government police or prosecution by the Muslim governments.

The tragedy is Muslims and Christians live together and share the same suffering and oppression. Yet, for some reason, Muslims organizations and governments are hesitant to stand up and defend Christian rights, although they are quick to condemn Christians like myself who speak out for Christian Arab rights in Muslim countries.

Instead of condemning Christians who champion the rights of Christian Arabs, Muslims organizations and governments should stand in solidarity with the Christians against the growing religious persecution that is sweeping the Middle East, Arab World and the Muslim World.

The persecution of Christians is a reality in the Muslim and Arab World and it must be confronted.

And the genocide of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire is no different than the holocaust of Jews at the hands of the Nazis. Both occurred during world wars. Both did occur. Many others also died during those conflicts. But clearly, the Germans singled out Jews and the Ottomans singled out Armenians for brutality and massacre.

This human tragedy needs to be acknowledged, not denied through arrogance or politics.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Nearly 100 candidates, officials address Arab Democratic Club forum Sunday - May 15, 2022
  • Arabs and Muslim blast Mayor lightfoot for racist store closings - May 7, 2022
  • Unresolved status of Palestinian rights makes UNRWA essential - May 7, 2022

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Arab World, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Editors Picks, Europe, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania Tags:Armenia, Armenians, Christians, genocide, Islam, Jews, killings, massacre, Middle East Christians, Muslim Organizations, Ottoman Empire

Post navigation

Previous Post: The Militarization of Police and The Murdering of Black Men
Next Post: Using American Tax Dollars to Undermine Civil Rights

Related Posts

  • Palestinian Leader Dr. Hanan Ashrawi. Photo courtesy of the PLO
    Dr. Ashrawi: Hebron’s World Heritage Must be Protected from Israeli Aggression Arab World
  • Palestinian Refugees from 1948 and 1967 have never received justice in Israel or in the American court system. Photo courtesy of the United Nations
    50 years of failed strategy is nothing to commemorate Arab News
  • How anti-Arab haters undermined Chicago Arab Heritage American Arabs
  • Martin Luther King, Tom Hayden and April 4 2017 American Arabs
  • Minnesota Settlement clears way for Muslim prayer center American Arabs
  • Christians surviving in Taybeh and Bethlehem in Occupied Palestine during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Photos courtesy of Dr. Maria Khoury
    Update from Palestine in wake of Coronavirus Pandemic Arab World

More Related Articles

Houston Businessman Farouk Shami urges the 16th Annual Convention for the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation to invest in Palestine and help build a strong economy that will provide jobs and result in peace. Farouk Shami urges diaspora to build industry and jobs in Palestine American Arabs
Rabbi Hoffman’s ‘Mordechai Vanunu: Nuclear Whistleblower, Traitor, Apostate’ and The TRUTH American Arabs
Gaza residents await reconstruction in wake of Israeli war crimes Arab World
Victims of terrorism climb according to Global Terrorism Index Arab World
Reconciliation, a Tale of Two Seas Arab World
Ahed Tamimi is HOPE in Action in Palestine #FreeAhedTamimi #FreePalestinianKids Arab World

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Palestinian refugees forced to flee their homes at gunpoint by Jewish terrorist groups operating in Palestine in the 1930s, 1940s and after Israel was created on May 14, 1948. Photo courtesy of the United Nations
    Unresolved status of Palestinian rights makes UNRWA essential
    May 7, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • Hollywood Sign
    Will Smith violence takes Oscar protests to dangerous level
    March 31, 2022
  • Chicago's racist Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered more than 150 Arab owned stores closed in 2021 in a racist effort o fight street gang crimes
    Arab Daily News launches Arab American Network to fight racism
    March 12, 2022
  • NEWS
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community
    May 19, 2022
  • Former City Hall reporter Ray Hanania, ShawnTe Raines-Welch and Nick Kantas, candidates for Judge in the 4th SubCircuit, and Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar.
    Nearly 100 candidates, officials address Arab Democratic Club forum Sunday
    May 15, 2022
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    Arabs and Muslim blast Mayor lightfoot for racist store closings
    May 7, 2022
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Chicago aldermen to host “forum” to explore Mayor Lightfoot’s racist crackdown on Arab stores
    May 3, 2022
  • NEWSWIRE
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community
    May 19, 2022
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Chicago aldermen to host forum on Arab businesses closed by Mayor Lightfoot
    April 15, 2022
  • On March 28, 2022, the American Human Rights Council (AHRC-USA) visited the Consulate General of Mexico in Michigan and presented its AHRC Exemplary Diplomat Leadership Award to His Excellency Fernando Gonzalez Saiffe, outgoing Consul General of Mexico.
    AHRC Presents Exemplary Diplomat Leadership Award to Outgoing Mexican Consul Fernando Gonzalez Saiffe:
    March 30, 2022
  • 03-30-22 Arab Chamber Heritage Month Flyer
    Arab Chamber to host Arab Heritage Month dinner March 30
    March 14, 2022

The Tabboun Column

The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
  • Tabboun
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    The Political Grapevine/The Tabboun, Friday Dec. 16, 2021
    December 16, 2021
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    Tabboun: Chicago remains strongest Palestine voice
    September 7, 2016
  • The Tabboun: Israeli human rights violations hit
    June 30, 2016
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    Tabboun: Himes questions troop deployment to Syria
    November 3, 2015
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    The Tabboun: Dearborn removes statue of racist former mayor
    September 29, 2015

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • HANANIA Arab News Op-Eds
  • Ukraine conflict gives Palestinians chance to redefine their conflict
    March 9, 2022
  • Mishmeshan PHC medical center destroyed in Syrian Government assaults. Photo courtesy of UOSSM Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations
    President Biden’s dyslexic policy in Syria is a mess
    October 20, 2021
  • Annissa Essaibi George and family
    Annissa Essaibi George faces “race hypocrisy” in campaign to be Boston Mayor
    October 20, 2021
  • Jerusalem image of Jews and Arabs walking together. Shutterstock. Courtesy of Arab News Newspaper
    Jewish Michigan lawmaker leads push for Two State Solution
    October 7, 2021
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • Girl Fighters, new book on Yemen Book Cune Press
    New Book: Girl Fighters: Break Tradition in Yemen 
    October 25, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • Hollywood Sign
    Will Smith violence takes Oscar protests to dangerous level
    March 31, 2022
  • 03-30-22 Arab Chamber Heritage Month Flyer
    Arab Chamber to host Arab Heritage Month dinner March 30
    March 14, 2022
  • “Rupture”, the psychological thriller produced by MBC STUDIOS, has won Best Saudi Film at the 2021 Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF).
    MBC GROUP’s Rupture wins Best Saudi Film at the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival
    December 15, 2021
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2022 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme