Days away from the Durban 2 conference in Geneva, and the only major coverage seems to be in the Israeli media. Which isn’t a big surprise, seeing as they have more to lose from the backlash than anyone. Today’s Jerusalem Post explains why Israelis are worried:
Already in advance of Durban II, a two-day anti-Israel NGO conference is scheduled to meet on April 18 and 19th, called “The Israel Review Conference.” An anti-Israel rally is also scheduled in Geneva for April 18.
Israel Review Conference can only mean one thing:
United Against Apartheid, Colonialism and Occupation, Dignity & Justice for the Palestinian People
So this is the secret meaning of the Durban conference. It’s a kind of primer for the real event, when the hevyweights show up to do the big Israel-bashing.
Is there still anyone out there who cannot see this facade for what it is? It is thinly disguised Jew-hatred (oh, but there will be anti-Zionist Jews there doing the bashing–so don’t call them anti-Semites!) sanctioned by the UN–an organization which has completely lost its bearings. And everyone will be there–everyone except Israel, the US, Canada and–I never get tired of repeating this–Italy. The EU will be there “in good faith”, which is how things are officially done these days in Europe.
The UN High Commissionerfor Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, had this to say:
“The goals set out in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action have not been achieved. This reality should prompt us to seek common grounds to move the struggle against racism forward. The tools and capacity for achieving the goals outlined in the Declaration and Programme of Action are within reach if we remain committed to those objectives.”
I take this to mean that Israel still exists, and it takes another doleful “conference” of racists, xenophobes, Holocaust deniers and their appeasers to strike another blow at the Jewish State and its supporters.
Tell me, a week from now, if I was wrong.
Marc Di Martino 
You are spot on.
Consider the fact that it is the Islamic nations that have the worst human rights records on this planet. Yet where are all the condemnations of their brutality, that are to be discussed at Durban II?
There aren’t any. Because as you rightly note, the participants of Durban II are far too busy preparing to once again demonise Israel. It’s pathetic.
Will America attend? The word was that Obama wasn’t going to send a delegate – but the latest rumours suggest differently. Which begs the question: why would Obama want to help legitimise this anti Jewish fest?
Next time some little anti semitic weasel starts banging on about how ‘the jews control america’, remind them of Durban II and how it seems that Obama intends to legitimise and endorse it.
Jew With A View
http://ajewwithaview.wordpress.com
If I understand correctly, the Obama administration has agreed it might attend the conference if the final text of the document meets America’s standards: the removal of Israel in name (and, one hopes, between the lines) and the pernicious criminalization of free speech. It is unlikely that America’s standards will be met in the next few days, especially considering the preliminary anti-Israel sideshow in Geneva. In any case, I don’t believe these rumors confirm Obama’s endorsement of Jew-hatred or anti-Israelism.
Re Obama endorsing hatred of Jews/Israel; let’s put it this way, Iran has repeatedly threatened to destroy Israel. The Iranian prime minister denies the Holocaust and five years ago, actually sponsored an entire conference entitled ‘The World Without Israel’. So when Obama then adopts a conciliatory tone with Iran, what message is he sending out?
Staunch support of Israel?
Hardly.
completely disagree. There are serious issues concerning israel in the arab world. This forum might be one of the few places to address these issues. Israel should take the opportunity and enter a dialogue.
This has nothing to do with antisemitism (a little convenient to interpret it this way) and everything with a conflict that has been going for 60 years. A conflict that sadly is the result of antisemitism.
http://owlminerva.wordpress.com/2009/04/15/a-few-thoughts-on-dunbar-ii-and-the-clash-of-civilizations/
What exactly are the “serious issues concerning Israel in the Arab world?” Other than the desire to see it disappear, that is?
To ‘owlminerva’
At Durban I, the atrocities of the entire Arab and Muslim worlds were totally ignored, while Israel was unfairly demonised.
It is precisely because of this that America, Canada, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands are boycotting Durban II, in protest at this injustice.
And yes – it IS anti semitism when the JEWISH state ALONE is singled out for disproportionate condemnation. Where are the condemnations of Saudi Arabia – where Christians get arrested just for owning a bible? Where rape victims get publicly FLOGGED as ‘punishment’? Where WOMEN cannot DRIVE? Or leave their homes without a male relative as chaperone?
Where are the condemnations of Iran – where Gay people are utterly discriminated against and where right now, numerous Christians are languishing in prison purely BECAUSE they ARE practising Christians?
Oh, and let us not forget: Ahmadinejhad is attending Durban II. Do you actually expect Israel to enter a ‘dialogue’ with a despot who is publicly demanding ‘a world without Israel’???
As far back as 2005, Iran held a conference TITLED ‘a world without Israel’.
And Iran is now fast acquiring the means to carry out the repeated threat of wiping Israel off the map.
It is simple, objective FACT that the Islamic nations have the worst human rights records in the world. Yet the ONLY nation being bashed and officially condemned in the draft paperwork for Durban is the JEWISH state.
If that is not anti semitism, what precisely WOULD you call it…?