Anti-Semitism at the Durban Conference

[Stephen M. Stowe, M.D. <ststowe...>]

I know that this is a Music List, however, sometime ago a member posted
information about the World Conference Against Racism which is now
underway in South Africa.  As many feared this conference has turned
into an anti-Semitic rally.  (See the News Story Below)

Stephen M. Stowe, M.D.

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anti-Semitism at the Durban Conference 


                    Israeli leaders have reacted strongly to the
anti-Israel resolutions passed at
                    the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South
Africa. President
                    Moshe Katzav said, "We can serve as a model of
democracy and civil
                    rights to many of the countries that voted for these
resolutions. The attacks
                    upon Israel are nothing more than a blatant
expression of racism and
                    anti-Semitism." Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said
that Israel may well
                    quit the conference, as the resolutions passed there
are "more of an
                    embarrassment to those who passed them rather than
to Israel." Peres said,
                    however, that despite Arafat's inflammatory words
against Israel, it is still
                    important for him to meet the PLO leader.
[Diplomatic efforts by Egyptian,
                    Italian, Saudi and other elements to facilitate such
a meeting continue to
                    take place.] 

                    Will the anti-Israeli resolutions passed in Durban
have practical
                    significance for Israel? Ha'aretz correspondent
Ya'ir Sheleg explained to
                    Arutz-7 today that while only the UN Security
Council can pass resolutions
                    with practical applications, "the fear is that the
[anti-Israel] expressions
                    [used by the Conference] will become part of the
official lexicon about
                    Israel - such as the reference to Israeli control of
[Judea, Samaria and
                    Gaza] as ?ethnic cleansing?, or the demand for
Israel to repeal ethnically
                    discriminatory laws, including the Law of Return,
etc. The fear is that these
                    issues will continue to be discussed in various
committees... and that they
                    may lead to investigations of Israelis along the
lines of those being pursued
                    in Belgium and Denmark, etc.? Furthermore, ?there
could be an effect on
                    economic investments in Israel... if Israel is
officially recognized as a
                    pariah state as a result of the decisions taken at
the Conference.? 

                    On the other hand, while the Conference is most
definitely a ?celebration
                    of anti-Israeli sentiments,? as one Israeli
newspaper headline put it, the
                    main issue confronting the participants of the
Conference is a demand by
                    African states and expatriates for reparations from
Western states that were
                    involved in colonialism and the slave trade.
However, from a media point
                    of view, Sheleg noted that the anti-Israeli aspects
of the conference
                    definitely garner more attention. 

                    A representative of the South African Board of
Jewish Deputies at the
                    conference related to Arutz-7 that although about 30
Jewish organizations
                    were present, "they officially decided to refuse to
discuss the Middle
                    East... In the midst of [the very anti-Semitic
atmosphere of Palestinian
                    flags, kefiyas, posters, etc.] we were 20-25
students [who] stayed up all
                    night making posters and the like and [feeling as if
we were]
                    representatives for world Jewry. The feeling of
unity was amazing... 25
                    Jewish students vs. The World. That is how it was."

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