Canada to skip UN racism conference due to expected 'anti-Semitism'Reuters 24/01/2008
Canada will not take part in a major United Nations conference on racism next year because the event is likely to descend into "regrettable anti-Semitism", a top official said on Wednesday.
Officials said they believed Canada was the first nation to announce it will not attend the conference in Durban, South Africa.
A similar meeting at the same venue in 2001 was marred when Israel and the United States walked out in protest over draft conference texts branding Israel as a racist and apartheid state - language that was later dropped.
"(We) had hoped that the preparatory process for the 2009 ... conference would remedy the mistakes of the past. Despite our efforts, we have concluded that it will not. Canada will therefore not participate," Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said in a statement.
Jason Kenney, the secretary of state for multiculturalism, said the Conservative government was sure the conference would "showcase the same regrettable anti-Semitism" as the 2001 meeting.
"Our government sees no value in allowing Canada's participation to continue to dignify or legitimate such hateful and un-Canadian propaganda," he told reporters.
The Canadian government is a strong supporter of Israel. Bernier apologized on Saturday for an internal Foreign Ministry training manual that listed both Israel and the United States on a torture watch list.
B'nai Brith Canada praised Ottawa for pulling out of "a farce of conference" that it said "pays lip service to anti-racism but in fact provides a platform for the promotion of hatred and bigotry".
The Canadian Jewish Congress also commended Ottawa for what it said was a principled stand.
The United Nations declined to comment directly on Canada pulling out of the conference but UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said "racism is too important an issue for member states not to work out their differences. Next year will be a time of preparation for this conference; we hope that member states use this time constructively. The SG [secretary general] will continue to follow this issue very closely.
France would not participate in the second U.N. conference on racism if it repeats the 2001 anti-Semitic debacle
Israel and U.S. to coordinate on boycott of anti-racism meet, HAARETZ, 4 april 2008
Israel, U.S. to boycott Durban II conference, april 5 2008
US, Israel and Canada to Boycott 2009 anti-Racism Conference, April 7 2008
A U.S. State Department report on anti-Semitism targets its manifestation as anti-Zionism and excoriates its appearance in the U.N. system.
State Dept. targets anti-Semitism
03/13/2008
A U.S. State Department report on anti-Semitism targets its manifestation as anti-Zionism and excoriates its appearance in the U.N. system.
The 94-page report published Thursday departs from traditional State Department reports on other forms of discrimination and other human rights abuses in addressing overarching themes of anti-Semitism and not simply listing incidents.
"Anti-Semitism has proven to be an adaptive phenomenon," the introduction says. "New forms of anti-Semitism have evolved. They often incorporate elements of traditional anti-Semitism. However, the distinguishing feature of the new anti-Semitism is criticism of Zionism or Israeli policy that -- whether intentionally or unintentionally -- has the effect of promoting prejudice against all Jews by demonizing Israel and Israelis and attributing Israel’s perceived faults to its Jewish character."
It targets governments that sponsor anti-Semitism, including in Iran, Syria, Belarus, Venezuela, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Also cited is how Israel is singled out in the United Nations.
"Regardless of the intent, disproportionate criticism of Israel as barbaric and unprincipled, and corresponding discriminatory measures adopted in the U.N. against Israel, have the effect of causing audiences to associate negative attributes with Jews in general, thus fueling anti-Semitism," it says.
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Le Département d'État cible l'antisémitisme
03/13/2008
Un rapport du Département d'Etat américain sur l'antisémitisme identifie sa manifestation à l'anti-sionisme et dénonce son apparition dans le système des Nations Unies.
Les 94 pages du rapport publié ce jeudi s'écarte des rapports traditionnels du Département d'État sur les autres formes de discrimination et de violations des droits humains en s'attaquant au thème de l'antisémitisme au lieu de présenter une simple énumération d'incidents.
"L'antisémitisme s'est avéré être un phénomène adaptatif», dit l'introduction. "De nouvelles formes d'antisémitisme ont évolué. Souvent, ils intègrent des éléments traditionnels de l'antisémitisme. Cependant, le trait caractéristique du nouvel antisémitisme est la critique du sionisme ou de la politique israélienne qui - que ce soit intentionnellement ou non - a pour effet de promouvoir des préjugés à l'égard de tous les Juifs en "diaboliser" Israël et les Israéliens et en attribuant au caractère juif d'Israel les failles qu'ils y perçoivent. "
Il s'adresse aux gouvernements qui parrainent l'antisémitisme, notamment l'Iran, la Syrie, la Biélorussie, le Venezuela, l'Egypte et l'Arabie saoudite. Il mentionne également comment Israël est marginalisé/isolé à l'ONU.
"Quelle que soit l'intention, la critique disproportionnée d'Israël comme un fait barbare et sans scrupules, et les mesures discriminatoires correspondantes adoptées à l'ONU contre Israël, ont pour effet que le public associe des attributs négatifs aux Juifs en général, ce qui alimente l'antisémitisme», dit-il.
State Dept. notes rise in global anti-Semitism over last decade, Reuters 14/03/2008
US report: New anti-Semitism disguised by hatred of Israel, 17/Mar/2008
US State Department : anti-Zionism fuels antisemitism, 21/03/2008
The upcoming U.N. World Conference Against Racism in Geneva is likely to single out Israel for criticism, 17 april 2008
Diplomats preparing for a U.N. conference on racism sparred over definitions of anti-Semitism, 23 april 2008
La conférence de l’ONU « Durban II » aura-t-elle lieu ? Réseau Voltaire
'Rights group anti-Israeli' -Human Rights Watch displaying clear political bias in its Israel coverage, NGO Monitor charges , Ynetnews, 1 mai 2008
Complot contre DURBAN II