Chaos as US and Israel quit racism conference
news.telegraph.co.uk
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Chaos as US and Israel quit racism conference
By Tim Butcher in Durban
(Filed: 04/09/2001)
THE World Conference Against Racism descended into chaos last night as the United States and Israel withdrew in protest at a "campaign of hate" against Israel by pro-Palestinian nations.
Britain said that it would keep its delegation at the conference until its scheduled close on Friday although it was increasingly unlikely that the summit would reach any meaningful conclusion.
America's decision to withdraw from the Durban conference came as delegates sought to single out Israel as a racist state. The announcement was made by Colin Powell, the Secretary of State.
He said in a statement from Washington: "I know that you do not combat racism by conferences that produce declarations containing hateful language, some of which is a throwback to the days of 'Zionism equals racism', or supports the idea that we have made too much of the Holocaust; or suggests that apartheid exists in Israel."
Shimon Peres, the Israeli Foreign Minister, speaking in Tel Aviv, described the conference as a "bizarre show". He called the activities in Durban an "unbelievable attempt to smear Israel".
Earlier Arab states refused to accept a compromise proposal from Norway and Canada which removed references to Israel being a racist state.
The withdrawal of the US and Israeli prompted immediate recriminations from South Africa, the host nation. Essop Pahad, an aide to President Mbeki, described the move as unfortunate and unnecessary.
The conference opened last Friday with Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary General, calling for tolerance in the Middle East. But it will be remembered for how it was hijacked by the Middle East question.
The delegates will continue work on a declaration which will be adopted by Friday. The UN's conferences on racism in 1978 and 1983 were also hijacked by the same subject and their final declarations never became credible documents.
Jesse Jackson, the US civil rights leader, accused Washington of "in a sense subverting" the meeting. "It is most unfortunate and unnecessary to withdraw based on one issue," he said.
The Labour peer Lord Janner, who led a delegation from the World Jewish Congress, said last night that he too was leaving Durban. "This conference has been tragically hijacked," he said.
He added: "It should have been a forum to work toward the eradication of racism in all its forms. Instead, it has turned into a vicious attack on Israel and the Jewish people. We have no alternative but to leave and treat the summit with contempt. It is a disgrace to the UN." |
