Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., July 07, 2008 Tamuz 4, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:30 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 11:18 20/03/2008
Durban: Not again
By Abraham H. Foxman
Tags: racism, durban conference 

As the United Nations begins to gear up for another world conference in 2009 to review the outcomes from its discredited 2001 World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, governments and NGOs have a responsibility to say "not again." Not again to virulent anti-Semitism, not again to vile demonizing and delegitimizing of Israel, not again to incitement to violence against Jews, not again to the inversion of principles of human rights.

This time there is no excuse; this time no one can say let's just wait to see what happens. This time the world knows how the noble goals of a world gathering to fight the scourge of racism can be perverted and instead become a cauldron of hate focused on a single country and a single people.

I have often said anti-Semitism is not just a Jewish problem, it is a disease that strikes at the very essence of society. Nowhere in recent history was that virus of anti-Semitism more apparent than on the grounds and in the halls of the 2001 Durban Conference. Another world gathering that is allowed to dissolve into fits of hateful, racist anti-Semitism is simply not worth having.
Advertisement
That is the courageous conclusion reached by the government of Canada which already has announced its decision not to participate in the Durban review conference. In announcing their government's decision, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State for Multi and Canadian Identity noted they "had hoped that the preparatory process for the 2009 Durban Review Conference would remedy the mistakes of the past. We have concluded that, despite our efforts, it will not." How sad and unfortunate that Canada may be right. The message from Canada is clear, "Not Again."

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has tried to present an alternative approach to save the Durban Review Conference. He recently gave notice that France will be leading an effort to "remedy the mistakes" of the 2001 conference when he announced "the Durban conference in 2001 led to intolerable excesses from certain states and numerous NGOs that turned the conference into a forum against Israel, and no one has forgotten. France will not allow a repetition of the excesses and abuses of 2001. Our European partners share France's concerns. France will chair the EU in the final months preceding the review conference. I say to you: If ever our legitimate demands are not taken into account, we will disengage from the process." In my most optimistic moments, I am rooting for President Sarkozy to succeed.

Then I face the stark realities of a UN Human Rights Council that time and again evades its responsibility to address the worst human rights violations in the world focusing instead on its obsession with attacking Israel. I cannot avoid a UN Security Council with some non-permanent members who won't even consider accepting a resolution condemning the deadly terrorism of Hamas. These are dispiriting certainties. Israel itself has concluded that it "will not participate and give legitimacy to the United Nations follow-up conference on racism, what is called Durban II, unless it is proven that the conference will not be used as a platform for further anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic activities." Canada and France are showing the way for others to follow. They have said loud and clear the world should not give legitimacy to any gathering of nations where hatred of Jews and scorn for the national aspirations of the Jewish people are cloaked in the vernacular of human rights. They have told the world that a conference to combat the scourge of racism is no place to trade in the currency of hatred and bigotry against Jews.

The unwillingness of most in the human rights NGO community and their international funders to confront and denounce the atmosphere of anti-Semitism and demonization of Israel at the 2001 Durban Conference was dismaying and extremely hurtful to the Jewish community. Human rights NGOs have a major role to play in preventing this from happening again. This time, there is no way to claim they don't comprehend what can happen when they stand by silently and allow a moral vacuum to be filled by irrational hatred. This time they can't say they don't understand their hopes to use the World Conference Against Racism as a legitimate high profile platform to have their issues heard depends on a conference environment conducive to civil discourse. And, this time they know it is in their power to ensure that the review conference not be used as a vehicle to promote anti-Semitism or incite hatred against Israel.

Yet, as the 2009 Durban Review Conference preparations begin, we do not hear loudly and clearly the call of "not again" from these groups. If governments and NGOs can overcome the forces who want to have another anti-Israel, anti-Jewish hatefest under the guise of fighting racism, then "not again" will mean a victory for the cause of human rights. If they cannot, "not again" will mean following Canada's lead.

Abraham H. Foxman is National Director of the Anti-Defamation League and the author of "The Deadliest Lies: The Israel Lobby and the Myth of Jewish Control."
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Killing spree
Police conclude Jerusalem bulldozer killer acted alone.
The Bar exam
Attention celebrities: Israeli start-up company can save you from paparazzi
  1.   Why doesn`t Foxman actually move to Israel? 11:38  |  Michael 20/03/08
  2.   NOT TO CONFUSE ANTI-SEMITISM... WITH CRITICISING ISRAEL 11:43  |  TripleJump 20/03/08
  3.   A RACIST ENTITY WANT TO DICTATE THE WORLD 11:50  |  indrajaya 20/03/08
  4.   Durban conference 11:55  |  Jacques 20/03/08
  5.   Abe Foxman could also do something against anti-Semitism...... 11:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/03/08
  6.   #1 michael and taking it ! more of the silly comment 12:17  |  v hardman 20/03/08
  7.   MIchael 12:35  |  Nik Miller 20/03/08
  8.   Pay no attention.... 12:50  |  William 20/03/08
  9.   face it... 13:02  |  ravi 20/03/08
  10.   Israel: "nation" of hypocrits.... 13:09  |  Goldstein 20/03/08
  11.   #1 Why don`t you mind your own business,Michael in UK? 13:15  |  Hastaroth 20/03/08
  12.   to #1 - you`re darn right! 13:18  |  henry 20/03/08
  13.   Hastaroth, that`s quite unpleasant. 13:37  |  Michael 20/03/08
  14.   Israel is One of The Most Racist Regimes in Existance Today 13:54  |  Johan Odin 20/03/08
  15.   #13 OK then,Michael in UK... 14:13  |  Hastaroth 20/03/08
  16.   #10 to "Goldstein" the hypocrit 14:17  |  Hastaroth 20/03/08
  17.   Calling all antisemites to read this: 15:35  |  Chris 20/03/08
  18.   indrajaya 16:12  |  Purple Canary 20/03/08
  19.   To Jacques 16:16  |  John 20/03/08
  20.   Never Again!! 17:18  |  Purple Canary 20/03/08
  21.   Re Agriprocessors (Swiss Dino) 19:28  |  David 20/03/08
  22.   Of course Foxman is right 19:46  |  Mark B. 20/03/08
  23.   #11, Hastaroth to #1, Michael. You are gravely mistaken! 20:08  |  zmogus 20/03/08
  24.   Greek Hastaroth 20:14  |  Bob Grant 20/03/08
  25.   Congratulations to Canada 20:27  |  KUTW 20/03/08
  26.   Jacques and John 20:32  |  Reuben 20/03/08
  27.   How understand antisemitic Talkbackers? ,1 20:46  |  David Turner 20/03/08
  28.   How understand antisemitic Talkbackers? ,2 20:47  |  David Turner 20/03/08
  29.   Jacques` confusion 21:11  |  utagawa 20/03/08
  30.   The reason extreme Leftists are evil 21:44  |  Joe 20/03/08
  31.   JOHAN ODIN: LAST MONTH IN NORWAY 21:51  |  Brant 20/03/08
  32.   Arabs are also semites - Most Jews hate Arabs, therefore 22:02  |  Philip 20/03/08
  33.   What is Slowman doing in the supermarket? 22:06  |  Abraham Durban 20/03/08
  34.   Its a matter of definitions 22:19  |  Scharker Yid 20/03/08
  35.   # 21 David "Agriprocessors, rituals and blood libels"...... 22:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/03/08
  36.   anti-Israel is not anti-Semitism 22:25  |  Khalid 20/03/08
  37.   anti-Israel is not anti-Semitism 22:25  |  Khalid 20/03/08
  38.   #32 2 Errors 22:27  |  JP 20/03/08
  39.   Haaretz sets the forum for antisemites RIGHT HERE!!!!!!!!!!! 22:36  |  Chris 20/03/08
  40.   Khalid`s all wet 22:56  |  JP 20/03/08
  41.   haaretz could make its contribution to... 22:57  |  hollingsworth 20/03/08
  42.   This man needs to get a life 23:23  |  NYC J 20/03/08
  43.   Correction 23:39  |  hollingsworth 20/03/08
  44.   Anti Khalidism is not anti-Islam 23:45  |  utagawa 20/03/08
  45.   HOLLINGSWORTH 23:50  |  Brant 20/03/08
  46.   anti-semitism and Israel 01:02  |  daniel 21/03/08
  47.   Khalid 01:25  |  Rab Burns 21/03/08
  48.   Khalid - anti-Israel is not anti-Semitism 02:08  |  ChanahS 21/03/08
  49.   #48 racism 03:06  |  Rab Burns 21/03/08
  50.   #47 Rab Burns. Who were the architects... 03:07  |  Maureen Ann 21/03/08
  51.   #31 Bran - How Wrong you Are 03:08  |  Johan Odin 21/03/08
  52.   Khalid, no explanation necessary 03:11  |  hollingsworth 21/03/08
  53.   Khalid2 03:12  |  hollingsworth 21/03/08
  54.   Chanah clumsy attempts to set Khalid straight 03:21  |  hollingsworth 21/03/08
  55.   Israel`s apartheid will be condamned again and again 04:09  |  Moise 21/03/08
  56.   32-Arabs are not Semites. Neither are Jews 04:36  |  Stephen in New York 21/03/08
  57.   #38 thanks for clearing that up for us 04:37  |  joefiasco 21/03/08
  58.   2,3 & 4-Nobody says that any and all criticism of Israel is anti- 04:41  |  Stephen in New York 21/03/08
  59.   ODIN: MY REPLY 05:06  |  Brant 21/03/08
  60.   Why Durban ? 05:29  |  Yvonne 21/03/08
  61.   Foxman the clown prince 06:15  |  Marilyn 21/03/08
  62.   Anti-Semitism 07:56  |  Jean Van Daem 21/03/08
  63.   #29 Israel`s colony 08:00  |  JW 21/03/08
  64.   I AGREE - IT`S NOT JUST A JEWISH PROBLEM.. 08:20  |  PADDY 21/03/08
  65.   Foxman, we here all know about anti-Semitism 08:32  |  David King 21/03/08
  66.   # 50 Maureen 08:55  |  Rab Burns 21/03/08
  67.   Maureen 08:59  |  Rab Burns 21/03/08
  68.   #50 Maureen 09:03  |  Rab Burns 21/03/08
  69.   To Bob G-rant (#24) 09:08  |  Hastaroth 21/03/08
  70.   Foxman`s a big joke 09:15  |  PAL