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Pro-Palestinian protestors marching through Durban during a UN conference on racism in 2001. (AP)
Last update - 10:12 10/03/2008
AJC leader urges Israel to give 'Durban 2' conference a chance
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: ADL, AJC, Durban conference 

The "Durban 2" anti-racism conference can still be salvaged, despite recent decisions by Israel and Canada to boycott the gathering, according to David Harris, the executive director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

Visiting Israel as part of his organization's Board Of Governors' mission, Harris told Haaretz that "we can't afford to declare 'Durban 2' lost without more focus on diplomacy, especially toward the European Union countries and others influenced by them."

Following Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's announcement two weeks ago that Israel would not participate in the United Nation's follow-up Conference against Racism, unless it was made clear that the event would not become a platform for Israel-bashing, there has been a great deal of indecision among international Jewish organizations as to how to deal with "Durban 2."
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The first Durban Conference, in 2001, quickly descended into a festival of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activity, causing the withdrawal of Israel and the United States from the parley. Over the last few months there has been a great deal of discussion between Israel, western governments, the Jewish Agency and other Jewish organizations on how to prepare for the follow-up conference, slated to take place some time in early 2009.

The fact that the conference is to be organized by the UN Human Rights Council, chaired by Libya, with Cuba as vice-chair, and that its two preparatory meetings are scheduled for Pesach and Yom Kippur, gave little reassurance that the next conference, whose venue has yet to be decided, will be any different from 2001.

A month ago, Canada announced it wasn't going to participate in next year's event, and Israel followed suit soon after.

The AJC's Harris said that it is still "important to focus the attention of world leaders that if this will be a replay of the first Durban Conference, it will undermine the international fight against racism and embarrass the United Nations."

He pointed to French President Nicolas Sarkozy's statement of three weeks ago that France will also not participate in the conference if it is "a repetition of the excesses and abuses of 2001."

"France will be very important," says Harris, "since from July, it will assume the presidency of EU and if it decides to pull out of the conference, there is a chance that the rest of the EU countries will. This will be a problem for those countries on the Human Rights Council, like Libya, Syria, Cuba and Zimbabwe. They don't want to have a conference where they will just look at each other. They need the EU's legitimacy, which is important also for other countries."

In Harris' opinion, there is still a chance of reaching an agreement on what issues should not be allowed to be aired at the conference.

Other Jewish organizations have differing views. Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, told Haaretz two weeks ago: "We should learn from what happened at the previous Durban Conference. Jewish organizations shouldn't even be there. There are enough ways to fight this."

Related articles:
  • Jerusalem & Babylon / Ignoring Durban summit not an option
  • Israel to boycott UN conference on human rights and racism
  • Israel toes Western line, will boycott 'Durban II'
  • Jewish groups mull stance on Durban II after Israeli boycott
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      1.   Durban is a pro-racism, not anti-racism conference 04:19  |  Conroy 10/03/08
      2.   Durban2 06:37  |  nas5000 10/03/08
      3.   Last year`s conference accomplished --- 07:09  |  JG 10/03/08
      4.   The enemies of freedom. 09:28  |  Jean Van Daem 10/03/08
      5.   Cynicism at its best 10:28  |  ChanahS 10/03/08
      6.   If you have good arguments there is never a reason to shy away... 10:39  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      7.   Conference chaired by Islamo-terrorist Lybia& Communist Cuba. 10:51  |  PETER SM 10/03/08
      8.   PLEASE, HARRIS, THIS ISN`T US CONGRESS 10:57  |  indrajaya 10/03/08
      9.   A message From the Durban II Organizing Committee 11:08  |  Proud Zionist 10/03/08
      10.   Cuba 11:35  |  Johnny Weintraub 10/03/08
      11.   #6 the cuckoo clock macher chirps again 11:43  |  v hardman 10/03/08
      12.   Israel made teh correct decision 11:43  |  US CITIZEN 10/03/08
      13.   INDRAJAYA UNFORTUNATELY IT IS A MOSLEM HIJACKED CIRCUS 12:08  |  PETER SM 10/03/08
      14.   Different approach 12:16  |  Gilad 10/03/08
      15.   #6, Dino, "healthy debate" 12:27  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/03/08
      16.   never volunteer to be the appointed victim 12:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/03/08
      17.   #6 Swiss....your collective conscience 12:54  |  Lynn 10/03/08
      18.   SWISS there are debates and there are lynch mobs 13:06  |  PETER SM 10/03/08
      19.   Unbelievable 13:17  |  American Christian 10/03/08
      20.   They want Israel lynched in the spotlight! Stay away! 13:28  |  AliciaYasmeen 10/03/08
      21.   # 11 v hardman 13:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      22.   # 15 Cipora Julianna Kohn 13:45  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      23.   There is a good reason, Dino 13:47  |  Jackie 10/03/08
      24.   # 16 Lynn 13:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      25.   # 18 PETER SM 13:52  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      26.   Human Rights Council 14:58  |  HShawa 10/03/08
      27.   For A Change, Israel Can Represent The Palestinians With Empathy 15:23  |  H. Kolter 10/03/08
      28.   Take Roya Boroumand With You! 15:26  |  Joe Hulllitse 10/03/08
      29.   Don+t whine and wail but FIGHT 15:36  |  Charles 10/03/08
      30.   Proud Israeli 9 15:36  |  ChanahS 10/03/08
      31.   David Harris is a useful idiot 15:37  |  Steve from Raleigh 10/03/08
      32.   Swiss Dino 22 15:39  |  ChanahS 10/03/08
      33.   Swiss Dino 15:42  |  ChanahS 10/03/08
      34.   Maybe we should also give the Aryan Nations Congress a chance too 15:48  |  Jo Levine 10/03/08
      35.   AJC leader urges Israel to give `Durban 2` conference a chance 15:49  |  Julian 10/03/08
      36.   Indrajaya 16:10  |  Mike 10/03/08
      37.   Anti-semitic conference 16:18  |  Daniel 10/03/08
      38.   Dino, just remember to pack your brown shirt when you go 17:20  |  Jacob Blues 10/03/08
      39.   To Swiss: Israel should not attend 17:56  |  Altalena 10/03/08
      40.   # 38 Jacob Blues, you never cease to amaze me....... 17:58  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      41.   # 23 Jackie # 32 / 33 Chanah (2nd try) 18:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      42.   `Durban 2` 18:13  |  David Nigel Braham 10/03/08
      43.   That sinking feeling you have Dino is your soap box getting 18:18  |  Jacob Blues 10/03/08
      44.   # 24 Swiss....racism in the Dem Party? 18:20  |  Lynn 10/03/08
      45.   # 39 Altalena 18:23  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      46.   # 24 Swiss....read post # 23 from Jackie 18:23  |  Lynn 10/03/08
      47.   To be or not to be in Durban II! 18:47  |  Steven L 10/03/08
      48.   To Swiss. Security of the world 18:51  |  Altalena 10/03/08
      49.   # 44 Lynn, here and there, racism is everywhere...... 18:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      50.   Durban 2 19:04  |  Louis Fried 10/03/08
      51.   # 48 Altalena 19:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      52.   Durban 2 19:12  |  Michael 10/03/08
      53.   Durban 2 is for racists only 19:23  |  noel 10/03/08
      54.   #6 Swiss (dino). It never surprises me to see the preachers of 19:32  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist 10/03/08
      55.   To 51 Swiss Dino. France & Europe 19:48  |  Altalena 10/03/08
      56.   # 43 Jacob Blues, the day when Diaspora Jews and Israelis...... 19:48  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      57.   Screw them !!! Who cares ???? 19:50  |  TOMY 10/03/08
      58.   #6 Swiss , what healthy debate are you talking 19:53  |  TOMY 10/03/08
      59.   # 54 Max Zinger, P.Chimist 20:03  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      60.   Dino 44 20:05  |  ChanahS 10/03/08
      61.   # 58 TOMY 20:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      62.   #26 - HShawa - what country is Israel oppressing? 20:10  |  William 10/03/08
      63.   Swiss#49 - so affirmative action works in Switzerland? 20:22  |  William 10/03/08
      64.   .. certainly, NOT -- they received enough chances!!! 20:23  |  felix 10/03/08
      65.   # 55 Altalena The myth called "pro-Palestinian" Europe 20:23  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      66.   Good point Jackie #23 20:25  |  William 10/03/08
      67.   #24, Dino(Swiss) 20:43  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/03/08
      68.   Oh I see Dino, it was criticism when they were handing out copies 20:52  |  Jacob Blues 10/03/08
      69.   # 63 William 20:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/03/08
      70.   #41, Dino, in blatant contradiction 20:56  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/03/08