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Jewish groups mull stance on Durban II after Israeli boycott By Anshel Pfeffer Jewish organizations are still at odds on how to deal with the Durban II conference after the government decided that Israel would not participate. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni announced on Sunday at the Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism in Jerusalem that Israel would not participate in the United Nations Follow-up Conference on Racism, more popularly known as "Durban II." Livni added the caveat: "unless it is proven that the conference will not be used as a platform for further anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activity." Advertisement The first Durban conference in 2001 turned into an anti-Israel festival, and governments in the West have been debating over the last few months how to respond to the follow-up conference next year. Last month, Canada became the first country to announce it would not participate. This announcement has been generally praised by most Jewish organizations but has also drawn criticism, both for not going far enough and for leaving the battlefield. Former minister Natan Sharansky, who founded the Global Forum, said Livni's decision was timely but that it should have been without the caveat. He said that "it's not enough to not take part in the conference itself, there is a whole process of preparation in the year running up to the conference, where Israel is being attacked, and we must make it quite clear that we oppose that also." A number of community leaders from the Diaspora, participating at the Jewish Agency board of governors meeting this week, voiced concern that Israel, by withdrawing from the conference, was "deserting the battleground and leaving the stage to Israel bashers." These leaders preferred not to go on record and to openly support the government's decision. Amos Hermon, chairman of the Jewish Agency's task force on anti-Semitism, said, "Jewish communities have requested us to coordinate a joint effort to fight Durban II, and we are making plans to bring thousands of Jews to demonstrate at the conference, wherever it takes place." Hermon's co-chairman, Prof. Leonard Cole, said that "it's important for Jewish organizations to be there, at least as observers. We shouldn't be leaving this fight." The president of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham Foxman, disagreed, saying that "we should learn from what happened at the previous Durban conference. This is not running away, but standing up for our principles. Jewish organizations shouldn't even be there. There are enough ways to fight this, over the Internet and making press conferences in different places around the world." Bookmark to del.icio.us   It's a killer B'Tselem slams IDF decision not to indict troops over errant strike that left 21 civilians dead. Reaching boiling point Gaza residents are told to boil drinking water as purifying chlorine runs out.

Today Online Israeli killed in massive Qassam barrage on Negev Responses: 182 Amira Hass: For Palestinians, an unarmed struggle would be suicide Responses: 136 Shmuel Rosner: Can Obama restore the Black-Jewish alliance? Responses: 101 Poll: Most Israelis back direct talks with Hamas on Shalit Responses: 89 Jewish groups mull UN racism meet after Israel decides to skip Responses: 121 More Headlines 02:00 Israel vows unprecedented response to deadly Qassam barrage 22:19 Rice heads to Israel next week amid Gaza violence 20:26 PM: Iran nukes not inevitable; Russia: We may back sanctions 01:24 Another blast in S. Lebanon likely caused by cluster bomb 19:53 Gazans told to boil drinking water as chlorine supply down due to blockade 21:48 Visiting Lithuanian FM gets harsh letter from Yad Vashem 20:12 Olmert: No one in Hamas will be immune against war we wage 17:37 Rights group slams IDF probe into deadly Beit Hanun shelling 20:46 Shas MK Benizri's aide opens envelope filled with white powder 17:57 Report: Top Iran cleric slams Ahmadinejad's 'coarse' attacks on Israel 20:42 Women's groups protest court approval of Katsav plea bargain Previous Editions Select Day 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb

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