US reaches out to Jewish leaders on ‘Durban II
February 19, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
HILARY LEILA KRIEGER
Senior White House and State Department officials held a conference call with American Jewish leaders Monday to reassure them over the administration’s decision to participate in preliminary discussions about the United Nation’s World Conference Against Racism conference in Geneva this April.
The previous UN World Conference against Racism held in Durban.
Photo: AP [file]
Jewish leaders were told that Washington’s decision to participate in the conference was being coordinated with the Israeli government, and that the US presence was an effort to change the direction of the conference, dubbed “Durban II,” according to participants in the call who would not be identified.
The US officials said that they were “under no illusions” that the nature of the gathering – which featured anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic material in its first incarnation held in Durban, South Africa in 2001, causing the Bush administration to pull its participation – would be easy to change.
Israel and many Jewish organizations have objected to the April conference and some of its preliminary material, which echoes the 2001 parley. Several had urged the Bush administration to announce it would boycott the event, but no official announcement was made.
Iranian-led Durban II “anti-racism” negotiations end in total disgrace
February 2, 2009 by SAF Desk
Filed under News at a glance
Intensive negotiations last week in Geneva have resulted in a new version of the “Draft Outcome Document” for Durban II – released yesterday. Iran – a Vice-Chair of the executive committee for Durban II – played a leading role in the drafting process, speaking more often than any other single state. The result? Now on the negotiating table: Jewish self-determination or Zionism is racism. Israel is guilty of apartheid and the number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust is questionable.
Anne Bayefsky, Editor of EYEontheUN, commented: “this “anti-racism” manifesto is much worse even than its predecessor. Islamic and other rights-abusing states had a field day preparing for Durban II. European states were totally unable to introduce the modifications necessary to protect human rights standards or change the clear intent of the conference.”
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