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Last update - 06:47 06/03/2009
Italy pulls out of Durban II over 'anti-Semitic' draft statement
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Tags: Italy, Israel News, Durban II 

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini announced Thursday that his country was pulling out of the Durban II United Nations conference on racism due to "aggressive and anti-Semitic statements" in the draft of the event's final document.

The move by Italy was the latest blow to a meeting seen by many Western governments as marred by Muslim attempts to attack Israel and shield Islam from criticism.

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eanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has canceled a planned visit to Iran following pressure from both Jerusalem and Washington. This would have been the first visit to Iran by a European Union foreign minister in nearly four years. Senior Israeli officials asked senior White House officials to become involved and convince the Italians to change their plans.

"This visit could have sent the wrong message to the Iranians," the Israeli officials said. Frattini yesterday informed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni that the visit had been canceled.

Frattini's comments on Durban II, made on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels, were reported by Italian news agencies. Ministry Spokesman Maurizio Massari confirmed Frattini's statements and said Rome would not participate in the conference unless the document was changed.

"There are expressions of anti-Semitism," Massari said by telephone. "Until the document is modified we will not have a part in it."

The United States has imposed similar conditions. Israel and Canada have already announced a boycott.

Members of Italy's center-left opposition and Jewish groups abroad praised Rome's move.

"We applaud Italy for its principled decision not to participate in a
conference that seems determined to repeat, if not exceed, the disgrace of Durban in 2001," said David A. Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee.

Harris said in a statement he hoped the rest of the EU would join the pullout.

Italy is the first European Union country to officially withdraw from the conference, though other nations have threatened not to attend.

Islamic countries, still angry over cartoons and films attacking Muslims, have been campaigning for wording that would equate criticism of a religious faith with a violation of human rights.

The informal negotiations have proven difficult, with many issues that marked the first UN conference on racism in 2001 re-emerging - such as criticism of Israel.

The April 20-25 meeting in Geneva is designed to review progress in fighting racism since the previous summit in South Africa. That meeting was marred by attacks on Israel and anti-Israel demonstrations at a parallel conference of non-governmental organizations.

The U.S. and Israel walked out midway through the conference over a draft resolution that singled Israel out for criticism and likened Zionism - the movement to establish and maintain a Jewish state - to racism.

Last week, the Obama administration said the United States will stay away from this year's meeting unless its final document is changed to drop all references to Israel and the defamation of religion.

European nations have expressed hope the summit can go ahead with a final text that is acceptable to all sides.

But they, too, have red lines they say cannot be crossed.

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said in December that his country would walk out unless anti-Israel statements were scrapped. French diplomat Daniel Vosgien said then that his country opposed the idea of banning criticism of religion.

Related articles:
  • U.S. to boycott Durban 2 summit on racism
  • Obama officials meet U.S. Jews to explain their Durban II policy
  • Durban II drafts: Israel is racist, occupying state
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      1.   Well Done Italy 22:19  |  Nephtaly 05/03/09
      2.   Religion and Israel 22:28  |  Bandar Michaels 05/03/09
      3.   Italy against the Conference 22:36  |  Alberto 05/03/09
      4.   Maybe Eurabia is not so Eurabia after all 22:38  |  Mark B. 05/03/09
      5.   Bless the Italians! 22:40  |  marat 05/03/09
      6.   It would be nice if the EU as a whole boycotted this 22:44  |  David G 05/03/09
      7.   Excuse me, Haaretz... 22:46  |  Rob 05/03/09
      8.   Law in Geneva 22:48  |  Henry 05/03/09
      9.   Lack of logic 22:48  |  Paul 05/03/09
      10.   BRAVO ITALIA 22:52  |  DISRAELI 05/03/09
      11.   Italy? 22:53  |  Anthony 05/03/09
      12.   strange 23:02  |  strange 05/03/09
      13.   This is the same Italian governemt, whose PM (Berlusconi).... 23:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/03/09
      14.   The civilized word is slowly joining Israel and Canada... 23:07  |  Maurice 05/03/09
      15.   #6 - Rob Just a minute please... 23:12  |  Maurice 05/03/09
      16.   Mark B...when Holland does make a statement 23:15  |  Lynn 05/03/09
      17.   Bandar #1 & Alberto # 2 23:22  |  Arnold 05/03/09
      18.   # 8 Paul....it has to do with gender based 23:23  |  Lynn 05/03/09
      19.   Grazie 23:27  |  Michael 05/03/09
      20.   Bravissimo! 23:28  |  Vittorio 05/03/09
      21.   #2. You are wrong Alberto. He can. Otherwise he will lose 23:30  |  Vittorio 05/03/09
      22.   Italy 23:37  |  Batya 05/03/09
      23.   Bandar 23:41  |  Brad 05/03/09
      24.   Extreme criticism of Israel is having an opposite effect 23:51  |  Mongo 05/03/09
      25.   Good. We know now who endorses Israeli war crimes 23:53  |  Sami 05/03/09
      26.   #16, Lynn 23:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 05/03/09
      27.   Maurice- it must be quite a disappointment... 00:03  |  Palestinian Brit 06/03/09
      28.   #16 Lynn, Dutch political correct elite under heavy pressure 00:08  |  Mark B. 06/03/09
      29.   Just a minute.. 00:17  |  Michael Greenberg 06/03/09
      30.   GRAZIE MILE 00:20  |  Zolman ben Moshe 06/03/09
      31.   No need to celebrate 00:22  |  Eli 06/03/09
      32.   the dominos are falling 00:25  |  Observer 06/03/09
      33.   # 4 Mark B. 00:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/03/09
      34.   DINO AND SUNTANS 00:26  |  Brant 06/03/09
      35.   I`ll keep buying kiwis from Italy now 00:48  |  judith 06/03/09
      36.   Mark B...we actually do agree on other things 02:00  |  Lynn 06/03/09
      37.   Swiss Dinosaur showing colors again 02:07  |  Rory 06/03/09
      38.   # 34 Brant and the "little" difference between us..... 02:17  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/03/09
      39.   Let`s all go out for pizza! 02:34  |  Nechama 06/03/09
      40.   I`m not entirely sure.... 02:34  |  Welshman 06/03/09
      41.   MARK.B Prosecuting Wilders means publicly airing direct quotes 02:39  |  PETER SM 06/03/09
      42.   Bravo Italians!!! 02:46  |  Free Gilad Shalit 06/03/09
      43.   Every decent country will leave Durban II 03:18  |  TOMY 06/03/09
      44.   The Racists Should be Very Happy 04:16  |  MichaelF 06/03/09
      45.   I Wonder About the Muslim Religion 04:19  |  MichaelF 06/03/09
      46.   Israels treatment of palasinians 04:28  |  Art Altman 06/03/09
      47.   Congratulations, Italy! 04:34  |  Jeff Northridge 06/03/09
      48.   DINO AND LITTLE DIFFERENCES 04:48  |  Brant 06/03/09
      49.   #2 - Bandar Michaels 04:51  |  MichaelF 06/03/09
      50.   #27 - Palestinian Brit 04:54  |  MichaelF 06/03/09
      51.   The self-desrucktive nature of the extreme left 05:10  |  Mark Lincoln 06/03/09
      52.   Dino`s boat is sinking... 05:29  |  Ouch 06/03/09
      53.   Grazie Italia 06:45  |  Baruch Gold 06/03/09
      54.   Swiss (Dino) people are starting to WALK OUT of your Party 09:35  |  Gil 06/03/09
      55.   Swiss (Dino) people are starting to WALK OUT of your Party 09:36  |  Gil 06/03/09
      56.   Bravo Frattini 09:37  |  francesco 06/03/09
      57.   14 and pushing too far 10:28  |  John , Canadian 06/03/09
      58.   24 Mono 10:31  |  Jean-f. 06/03/09
      59.   FROM MUSSOLINI TO BERLUSCONI 11:29  |  indrajaya 06/03/09
      60.   52 Israel`s boat is sinking 11:48  |  John Spear 06/03/09
      61.   # 2 - Alberto 21:28  |  Luca P. 06/03/09
      62.   Mark Lincoln lurching like a drunken sailor 08:41  |  Peter Williams 07/03/09
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