Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

From Genocide survivors to Holocaust heroes: Armenians honored for saving Jews

Yeghisabet Arthur
All Israel News
April 15 2026

Jerusalem exhibit highlights little-known stories of Armenians recognized by Yad Vashem, revealing acts of courage and shared history between two persecuted peoples

Nicole Jansezian

JERUSALEM—Ara Jeretzian, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, noticed chilling parallels to his own family’s experiences when Budapest’s Jews were ordered into a ghetto by the Nazis in 1944.

After having escaped the slaughter of Armenians, including his own family members, in Ottoman Turkey in 1918, Jeretzian used his influence as a commander in Hungary’s civil defense apparatus to save Jews in the city. 

“In this capacity, he founded a hospital that treated wounded Hungarian soldiers as well as Hungarian civilians free of charge and used this hospital to hide over 400 Jews,” said David Eisenstadt, who translated the placards of nine Armenians declared Righteous Among the Nations for a unique exhibit on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day on Tuesday. 

“He even managed to equip 40 Jewish doctors and other medical personnel with forged certificates stating that they were Aryan.” 

When an informant told the authorities that Jews were being hidden in the hospital, Jeretzian showed up – in a Nazi uniform – and brandished a forged document stating that the hospital was protected territory.

“He was a genuine hero and a tremendous improviser,” Eisenstadt told ALL ISRAEL NEWS.

Another Armenian family, Grigori and Pran Tashchiyan, hid the children of a Jewish family in their home in Crimea during the war. They recruited their teen children, Hasmik and Tigran, to guard the younger Jewish children, ages 4 and 7, and rush them to hiding whenever the Germans came around.

Hasmik was quoted as saying, “After having experienced the Armenian Genocide, we decided we must help them survive.”

These are just some of the 24 Armenians recognized by Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center as “Righteous Among the Gentiles” for saving Jews across Europe just 30 years after their own horrors.

Yisca Harani, a Jewish scholar on Christianity, organized an exhibit in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter to honor these heroes on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day – a day she said touches Jews more deeply than any other.

“If I want to deliver the news that anyone can be compassionate and that survivors of the Armenian Holocaust helped Jewish people to survive their Holocaust, this is something that can penetrate the heart of anyone on that day,” she told ALL ISRAEL NEWS. “So to hear that there were Armenians who risked their lives to save Jews is very strong.”

Harani, who established the Religious Freedom Data Center, an organization that monitors violence against Christians in Israel, has long worked to create positive relations between Armenians and Jews. 

The exhibit was displayed at the Armenian seminary in the Old City, culled together by Harani and other Jewish volunteers.

On the road, as many Jews walked toward the Western Wall, volunteer Binyamin Klugger, an ultra-Orthodox Jew, stood outside the seminary inviting religious visitors to view the exhibit. Many were hesitant.

Klugger explained that Israelis generally lack understanding of who Christians are – and that they are not hostile. 

“Overseas, Jews live among all cultures, they have Christian neighbors, Christians friends,” he said. “Here, they don’t know anything about Christianity or Christians. They only [know] stories of their childhood: the Inquisition, pogroms. Christians are enemies.”

Klugger engages in conversations on his Facebook page, writing about Christian communities and churches. He was once criticized by his community for being photographed with the Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who was wearing a large cross.

“I told them, ‘I thought he was a math professor and that was a plus sign,’” he said. “I laughed it off, but I asked them, ‘What is your issue with this symbol?’ It opens up conversations and I have the opportunity to explain, there are different communities here in Israel, and it is worth getting to know them.” 

Arek Kahkedjian, a tour guide who is Armenian – born and raised in Jerusalem – said Armenians and Jews share many historic and religious parallels.

“We are both very ancient nations, we have a lot of history. We are even mentioned in Titus Flavius Josephus’ book (War of the Jews),” Kahkedjian said. “Armenians are mentioned in the Bible and have a lot of connections to the Jewish people.”

The parallels carry a tragic tone as well – including the Genocide and the Holocaust – while modern-day geopolitics make for tense diplomatic relations between the two nations: Armenia has ties with neighboring Iran, while Israel has relations with Azerbaijan, a hostile nation on Armenia’s border. 

“It’s all very connected and it’s all too complicated for a regular person to understand, but events like this that emphasize the similarities between the Jewish community and the Armenians – trying to introduce these to each other – could make things better,” he said.

Despite the connections and because of the geopolitics, Israel does not formally recognize the Armenian Genocide.

“It’s important to inform and educate people over here on the role that Armenians played in saving Jews during the Holocaust,” said Kegham Balian. “If I’m not mistaken, they saved the most Jews per capita, so that’s information that should be shared widely.”

Balian emphasized the importance of events like this and advocated for expanded public discussion and educational efforts.

“To bear in mind, this was after Armenians suffered their own genocide,” he said.

While the Nazis never reached Armenia during World War II, Armenians living in Europe – many of them refugees – saw the signs of genocide.

“For very altruistic, humanitarian reasons, they helped Jews in distress,” Eisenstadt said. “Sometimes they were Jews that they knew and in some cases they didn’t know them at all.”

Harani described such cases, including a 15-year-old Armenian boy who saw an elderly Jewish man outside and brought him into his home to hide, and an Armenian woman who went to the ghetto to demand the release of her neighbors.

“Every Jewish person should ask him or herself, ‘If I was there back then, would I risk my life? Would I risk my children?’” Harani said.

Nicole Jansezian is a journalist, travel documentarian and cultural entrepreneur based in Jerusalem. She serves as the Communications Director at CBN Israel and is the former news editor and senior correspondent for ALL ISRAEL NEWS. On her YouTube channel she highlights fascinating tidbits from the Holy Land and gives a platform to the people behind the stories.

https://allisraelnews.com/from-genocide-survivors-to-holocaust-heroes-armenians-honored-for-saving-jews 

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Direct political persecution is being carried out against the “Strong Armenia”

Yeghisabet Arthur
Aysor, Armenia
April 16 2026

The arrests of members and supporters of the “Strong Armenia” party are being viewed as direct political persecution, according to the political force’s press secretary Marianna Ghahramanyan.

“We assess the arrests of members and supporters of the ‘Strong Armenia’ party as direct political persecution against the party. This is a continuation of the process from previous days. Among those detained is another woman, Hasmik Amirzadyan from the Artashat office. Nikol Pashinyan is trying to apply pressure and conduct a struggle through women. However, these political persecutions do not stop us; we will continue along the path we have set,” she said.

It should be noted that 14 individuals have been arrested within the framework of criminal proceedings conducted by the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia on charges of giving and receiving electoral bribes, according to committee spokesperson Marina Ohanjanyan.

Since early morning, the Anti-Corruption Committee has been conducting searches in various offices of the “Strong Armenia” party. Charges have been filed against Hasmik Amirzadyan, a party member, and the issue of a preventive measure is currently under discussion. 

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Pashinyan credits mandate and peace agenda for Armenia’s “historic” transforma

Yeghisabet Arthur
Politics15:42, 15 April 2026
Read the article in: Armenian:

The Republic of Armenia has moved beyond an imposed survival and struggle agenda and has entered a historic era of normal life, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Wednesday.

Speaking in parliament during the 2025 report on the implementation of his administration’s action plan, Pashinyan said that the country’s priority has become state development, education, employment, and the improvement of prosperity, emphasizing that Armenia’s historical mission is to develop the state and pass it on to future generations.

“Our historical mission is to be educated, to work, to develop the Republic of Armenia with its internationally recognized territory of 29,743 square kilometers, and to pass it on to future generations as an independent, peaceful, secure, developed, and prosperous state—generation after generation and century after century. To live, to be educated, to work, to develop prosperity, to develop peace, to develop the state, and to pass it on to generations through the centuries. This is the wonderful historical mission in which we find ourselves, which we call the agenda of the state’s eternal continuity,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Pashinyan stressed that reaching this stage became possible thanks to public support and the legitimate mandate formed by the 2021 elections.

“The government and the parliamentary majority could not have done anything without the people’s mandate and support,” he said.

The prime minister reminded that the peace agenda had been clearly defined as the supreme goal in the government’s 2021 program.

According to him, that goal has now been achieved, albeit at a heavy cost.

“At what cost? At the cost at which it could be achieved. Yes, at the cost of numerous casualties and sacrifices, at the cost of many deprivations and suffering, at the cost of going through hell,” Pashinyan said.

He noted that Armenia today stands at a new historic stage, with statehood, peace, development, and prospects for the future.

The prime minister also addressed political assessments of the past, saying that public perceptions in earlier periods often did not correspond to reality.

“The discourse of ‘Karabakh was ours and is no longer ours’ was part of a philosophy and concept of being trapped in a geopolitical trap. The reality is that the Republic of Armenia was not ours and is now ours. The reality is that all the known territories were under Armenian control at the expense of our statehood, sovereignty, independence, prosperity, security, and future, and we did not understand this. Perhaps there were people who understood it and did not speak out because they were afraid. There were also people who both understood and spoke out, but we either did not listen to them, ignored them, or silenced them, convinced that they did not understand what they were saying, while we—including myself—did not understand what we were doing since 1988. And we did everything against ourselves and against the lessons of history.

But today we can say that we—the government and the governing majority—have changed the destructive course of our history and placed the Republic of Armenia on a constructive and peaceful path. Today our people are writing a completely new, state-centered chapter of their history, where the state is both the goal and the means,” Pashinyan concluded.

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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Hungary Elections Results Sparks Heated Debate in Armenia’s Opposition Ranks

Yeghisabet Arthur
Cocoa Took daily off
April 14 2026
14 Apr 2026 | News, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia

Hungary held its most consequential parliamentary elections since the end of communism on 12 April 2026, with a record voter turnout of around 76–79%, the highest in decades. The vote marked a major political turning point in the country’s modern history. The opposition Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, won a landslide victory over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, which had been in power for 16 years.

On April 14, commenting on political developments in Hungary, Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the Bright Armenia party, stated in a video shared on his Facebook page that opposition figure Péter Magyar had achieved a “historic victory” over Viktor Orbán, whose party had governed the country for 16 years. He noted that out of 199 parliamentary seats, 138 were secured by Magyar’s party, while Orbán’s party obtained 55.

Marukyan emphasized that the outcome came despite external political signals, recalling that “two or three days ago, JD Vance was there and declared his support for Orbán.” Drawing parallels with Armenia, he argued that public narratives about the invincibility of the authorities are misleading. Referring to Nikol Pashinyan, he remarked that claims about backing from global powers should not discourage opposition efforts, stressing that “if the Armenian people have a good offer from the opposition, there will be intrigue… and the government will be changed.”

Addressing voter engagement, Marukyan pointed to the high turnout in Hungary, where citizens reportedly stood in long lines to vote. He contrasted this with Armenia, stating that such participation cannot be achieved through appeals alone, but requires a compelling political alternative. “It’s not because the opposition is saying, ‘People, this is important, you must go to the polls,’ but because there’s no compelling proposal… We need to create an intriguing proposal,” he stated.

According to Marukyan, discussions about opposition consolidation in Armenia are unproductive, as political forces continue to act independently. He added that his party intends to present a distinct platform, noting, “we… will put forward a good proposal that will be different from all the others, and you will see.” He also rejected characterizations of Orbán as a dictator, arguing that “it’s impossible to defeat a dictator in an election,” and highlighting that Orbán conceded defeat before the final recount, stating, “I accept my defeat, congratulations, we will be the opposition, we will serve Hungary.”

He further criticized interpretations of political processes in Armenia, asserting that they are often distorted. “You have dictators; in Armenia, power hasn’t changed through elections for 35 years, and you’re talking about Hungary?” Marukyan stated, adding that electoral outcomes depend on the choices presented to voters: “If you offer the voter the same thing, you get the same result… the voter makes the decision… not based on your appeals.”

On the same day, Narek Karapetyan, a member of the Strong Armenia party, also commented on the developments, stating that the Hungarian opposition had defeated a long-serving leader and prevented the country from becoming a dictatorship. “Hungary has chosen change, and soon it will happen in Armenia too!” he emphasized.


https://caucasuswatch.de/en/news/hungary-elections-results-sparks-heated-debate-in-armenias-opposition-ranks.html


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CC: Erdogan Squirms

Yeghisabet Arthur

· APRIL 13, 2026

Decision to lift the preventive measure applied to His Holiness Karekin II not

Yeghisabet Arthur
Aysor, Armenia
April 13 2026

The Criminal Court of First Instance of Yerevan, presided over by Judge Ani Danielyan, has upheld the defense appeal submitted by the lawyer of the Catholicos of All Armenians.

According to the court’s ruling, the preventive measure applied to the Catholicos of All Armenians is subject to lifting.

Lawyer and representative of the Mother See, Ara Zohrabyan, told Aysor.am that the court’s decision has not yet been implemented.

“I am sure that the Prosecutor’s Office will appeal this decision and will do everything to prevent the court’s ruling from being enforced,” Zohrabyan said.

When asked whether the decision to lift the preventive measure could be seen as a sign of justice, the representative of the Mother See responded that there is always hope for justice.

“Unfortunately, some judges blindly make decisions that are pleasing to the authorities. However, there are also judges who are guided by the law. This, of course, increases hope for justice,” Zohrabyan emphasized.

The Prosecutor General’s Office later confirmed to Aysor.am that it will file an appeal against the ruling.

As a reminder, His Holiness the Catholicos of All Armenians is in the status of a defendant. He is accused of obstructing the execution of a judicial act requiring Arman Saroyan to be reinstated as Primate of the Masyatsotn Diocese. A travel ban has been applied as a preventive measure.

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Government greenlights Hrazdan Gorge development project featuring leisure and

Yeghisabet Arthur
Yerevan12:07, 9 April 2026
Read the article in: Armenian:

The Cabinet approved a development project set to create a leisure zone in the Hrazdan Gorge in Yerevan.

The government will allocate 172 million drams, roughly $456,000, to Yerevan City Hall for the project.

In September 2025, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan visited the area in the Arabkir administrative district to review the planned development project.

Avinyan noted that the project includes a comprehensive plan for the improvement of the gorge, new landscaping and architectural solutions, a comfortable promenade, relaxation areas, platforms for sporting events, a space for outdoor cinema screenings, as well as a café that will become a hub for social interaction.

“Overall, this is part of the concept for the reconstruction and reconfiguration of the gorge. We have conducted an in-depth analysis of the entire gorge, studied the flora and fauna, identified the areas designated as cultural heritage, clearly defined its boundaries, and are awaiting legislative changes from the Ministry of Environment, after which the Yerevan City Council will officially recognize the entire gorge as a municipally designated protected area,” Avinyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in turn, remarked that the project is excellent and aims to make the area more comfortable for citizens, especially those engaging in sports or spending time in the gorge for recreational purposes. The Prime Minister also noted that the gorge has great potential for improving air quality.

Mayor Tigran Avinyan added that construction work will begin very soon.

Published by Armenpress, original at 

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Asbarez: ‘Armenia’ Alliance Presents Socio-Economic Platform Ahead of Electio

Yeghisabet Arthur
by Asbarez Staff

 

 April 9, 2026

 

in Armenia, Latest, News, Top Stories

Supporters gather at Congress Hotel in Yerevan to hear the Armenia Alliance’s socio-economic plan on Apr. 8


The Armenia Alliance presented its socio-economic platform during an event held on Wednesday at the Congress Hotel in Yerevan.

The alliance, headed by former president Robert Kocharian and including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, is running as an opposition bloc in the upcoming June 7 elections.

The two lawmakers, Arthur Khachatryan and Artsvik Minasyan, who made presentations said that if elected, the Armenia Alliance will reduce taxes, create a more beneficial environment for the growth of the agriculture sector and will increase pensions.

Arthur Khachatryan

Khachatryan warned that the rosy economic outlook depicted by the current regime has largely relied on debt, arguing that if these policies continue, future generations would have to bear the burden of the mounting debt.

“The economic growth they [the current regime] is showing is a result of debt. In eight years, Armenia’s debt has doubled, reaching $15 billion,” Khachatryan said, adding that this burden will fall on everyone, including newborns, with an average of $5,000 debt per citizen.

He noted that Armenia’s current economic growth is largely based on services and retail trade, while exports are mainly driven by gold, diamonds, mining, brandy, and tobacco.

“Where is our industrial potential? Where is the high-tech industry praised by this government?,” Khachatryan countered.

He said that beginning on June 8, the policies of the Armenia Alliance will focus on reviving industry, creating an economy by elevating the tech sector and building on competitive advantages.

Khachatryan then turned his attention to what he deemed by the deterioration of the agricultural sector under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s leadership, arguing that “Armenia needs a competitive and prosperous agricultural sector.”

“We have gone back 25 years. With a single stroke of a pen, the Ministry of Agriculture was dismantled. More than half of our arable land is not being cultivated. And yet they [the government] proudly say we imported sub-par wheat from Kazakhstan. This cannot continue,” he emphasized.

According to Khachatryan, the alliance’s policies will aim to increase agricultural profitability, ensure food security, and improve quality of life in rural areas. “You can’t walk in a village without boots. People must remain in villages and strengthen our borders,” he said.

He noted that land plots are currently too small, making cultivation expensive and inefficient.

“We will promote cooperation and land consolidation while preserving ownership rights,” Khachatryan explained, adding that the state will support farmers in acquiring high-quality seeds, saplings, and livestock. Since agriculture is knowledge-based, farmers will also receive support to expand their knowledge of the sector.

He explained that the Alliance’s program will include up to 15 million drams in preferential loans with zero interest, cheaper fuel and seeds, improved water resource management, and support for sales and exports. Strategic products will also be guaranteed favorable prices.

Minasyan, the other presenter and a current lawmaker, focused on social aspects that, he said, had hindered the economy.

Artsvik Minasyan

“The current difficult social situation is not only due to external factors or psychological conditions. It is also the result of deep social problems that this government has created and continues to reinforce. One of the causes is the clearly unequal distribution of income,” Minasyan explained.

He noted that incomes of vulnerable groups are clearly lagging behind rising costs of living.

“Not only are prices of essential food, medicine, and utilities rising sharply, but property taxes and public transport fares are also increasing. Hundreds of thousands of citizens are faced daily with difficult choices—whether to pay for heating or essential medication with their limited income,” Minasyan said.

He argued that these policies have created social polarization, and vowed to eliminate it under the Armenia Alliance programs.
“The minimum wage will be aligned with the minimum living basket and will be indexed—meaning it will automatically increase each year at least in line with inflation, by law, not political will. The basic pension will increase by at least 50 percent and will also be indexed to inflation. During winter months, gas and electricity costs will be fully subsidized for socially vulnerable single pensioners, extremely poor families, and families with children,” Minasyan said.

“We will reduce property tax. The excessively high increase planned for 2026 will be canceled, and a luxury tax will be introduced—meaning the wealthy will pay more to ease the burden on low- and middle-income citizens. Social solidarity will be restored through fair income redistribution,” he said, adding that universal income declaration will also be abolished.

He noted that Armenian capital worldwide is estimated at around $400 billion, and through a proposed “Multi-purpose Fund,” attracting just five percent of it could significantly contribute to national development.

Addressing healthcare, Minasyan said that while the current insurance system has created issues for both doctors and patients, the alliance plans to improve it without dismantling it.

“We are here to further strengthen family protection. Under the ‘Family Growth Model,’ income tax will decrease by an additional two percent for each child after the second,” he said.

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Deadly shootout near Israeli consulate in Istanbul

Yeghisabet Arthur
Turkey14:23, 7 April 2026
Read the article in: ArmenianRussian:

Three people were killed and two ‌police officers were injured in a gunfire incident near the building housing the Israeli consulate in ⁠Istanbul on Tuesday, Reuters reported citing local media.

Reuters video showed a police officer pulling out a gun and taking cover as gunshots resounded. One person was seen covered ‌in ⁠blood.

A strong armed police presence is always maintained in the area near the ⁠Israeli consulate. Television footage showed armed police patrolling in the ⁠area after the shooting.

Daily Sabah reported that three people were “neutralized” after the shootout.

Broadcaster NTV said one gunman was captured injured, and the other one was killed.

Unconfirmed reports say the suspects fired at police officers stationed near the building, which is located in a key business hub also housing the headquarters of Türkiye’s major banks, according to Daily Sabah. 

It is unknown at this time whether the assailants targeted the consulate.

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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The project on limiting the names of alliances in RA was adopted

Yeghisabet Arthur
Photo: Sputnik Armenia

At the emergency session of the National Assembly, the issue of making additions and amendments to the Electoral Code was discussed. The project was adopted in the first reading. 66 deputies voted in favor, 16 against.


With the amendment, the MPs of the “Civil Agreement” propose to establish that the name of the parties, alliance cannot contain personal names, names of state and local self-government bodies, or confusingly similar names or their shapes. The name of the alliance cannot also contain offensive or defamatory words or other expressions.

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