In December 2004, Metzger was instrumental in easing tensions between Jerusalem's Haredim and Armenian Christians following an incident in which a Haredi yeshiva student spat on an Armenian archbishop. Metzger gained further attention in November 2005, during a visit to the Memorial of Armenian Genocide and Genocide Museum in Yerevan. He laid a wreath, and gave a short speech in which he acknowledged the pain of the Armenian people and emphasized that though Israel does not formally recognize the Armenian Genocide as a genocide, he does "use that term". Metzger went on to say, "No other nation can understand the pain of the Armenians better than Jews." Metzger's comments received a very positive reaction in Armenia, particularly at the implication that more Israelis are changing their positions on using the word "genocide" to refer to the Armenians.