UNESCO to denounce 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'

ROME - The United Nations' culture agency plans to issue a public denunciation of the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," dismissed by historians as a forgery to discredit Jews, amid criticism that the book had gone on display in Egypt and that an official there had made anti-Semitic remarks about it, The Associated Press has learned.

UNESCO has inquired with Egypt's Alexandria Library about allegations of possible anti-Semitism in its display of the book and has asked the library to assure UNESCO that it hasn't left itself open to possible racism charges.

"Protocols" tells of a Jewish plot to take over the world. Historians have long dismissed the work as a forgery concocted by Czar Nicholas II's secret police to blame Russia's troubles on Jews.

UNESCO's director-general, Koichiro Matsuura planned to issue a public denunciation of the book this weekend at a seminar in Venice pegged to "Protocols"' 100th anniversary. The seminar was organized in part by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which combats anti-Semitism around the world.

The AP on Friday obtained an early copy of Matsuura's statement to the conference in which he says that despite its widespread refutation, the book "continues to exercise its terrible power as an instrument of anti-Semitism."

"It is instructive because it demonstrates yet again that, given the necessary mind frame, people can be induced to believe what has been formally refuted, which can then be used to justify the most unspeakable atrocities," his message said.

Matsuura's statement made no reference to the Egyptian case, but it was being delivered after UNESCO itself received complaints about the Alexandria exhibit.

Matsuura's spokeswoman, Muriel de Pierrebourg, said Friday that she had received 15 e-mails alleging that the book had been on display in an inappropriate manner at the Alexandria Library and that the head of the exhibit had made anti-Semitic comments in an interview.

Matsuura instructed officials at the Paris-based UNESCO agency to write a letter to the museum's director, seeking a response to the allegations.

"I would appreciate your informing us whether there is any foundation to these reports," the letter said.

"Any form of racism is anathema to UNESCO," the letter said, according to de Pierrebourg. The agency "would be glad to receive your reassurance that the Library of Alexandria has in no way left itself open to any accusation of racism in general or anti-Semitism in particular," the letter read.

No one could be reached for comment at the library Friday because it was closed.

In his statement to the Venice seminar, Matsuura urged attendees to make recommendations for concrete measures to combat "literature of hate" while taking into account the principle of freedom of expression.

He hailed the organizers of the Venice conference for organizing the seminar, which he said would discredit and delegitimize the book "as an exposure of the frightening potential of disinformation in the service of discrimination, oppression, slaughter and genocide."

The Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center welcomed UNESCO's initiative and called on Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi to condition continued Italian funding of the library on the removal of the "Protocols" from display, removal of the library's director and public condemnation by the library of what it called the "pernicious nature" of the book.The Alexandria library, which was opened last year, is an attempt to recreate the atmosphere of the ancient library in the northern Egyptian city which was a major center of scholarship. The library has regular displays on literature and art. It is open to the public and has a rare documents collection available to scholars.

Last year, the Egyptian and Israeli presidents exchanged letters over a show on Egyptian state television that draws on the "Protocols" book, with the Israelis insisting the show was anti-Semitic and the Egyptians defending it as an example of free expression.