A number of side events have been planned around the Durban Review Conference. The Israel Review Conference, - subtitled, “United Against Apartheid, Colonialism and Occupation: Dignity and Justice for the Palestinian People” - was designed with the specific purpose of building on those aspects of the 2001 Durban conference that led to universal condemnation of that conference, and the fears many countries expressed in the call for the present Durban Review Conference.
Riding on the coat tails of the hard work of anti-racist campaigners, in order to spread its own brand of racism and intolerance. The event was organized by Palestinian activist groups the BNC, ICNP, and ECCP, and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN). The last is a new organisation (less than year old) which appears rather confused - it almost appears to have been produced specifically to have a Jewish-sounding organisation behind this conference.
The event was attended by approximately 250 people, mostly representatives of pro-Palestinian NGOs from around the world. However, even these committed activists got bored and many wondered off towards the afternoon.
Sessions included: “Examining the Applicability of the Crime of Apartheid to Israel”, and “Legal Strategies towards Accountability to International Law”, with academics, lawyers and other activists as speakers.
Discussion focused on the usual boycotts, divestment and sanctions approach, but exposed the extremists amongst the audience. There were calls for:
- The international isolation of Israeli officials, lawyers, and jurists
- Legal attacks on dual nationals who serve in the IDF
- Efforts to legalize the use of violence by “resistance movements”
- Petition the International Court of Justice to try Israel for crimes against humanity and to examine the “occupation of 1948”
When it was noted that the head of the Palestinian delegation to the UN was not planning to move any of these radical ideas forward hopes were expressed for a change in delegation leader.
The conference provided large amount of anti-Israel material including kaffiyahs, “Boycott Israel” stickers, Hizbullah pamphlets, CD ROMs, and a fliers.
It’s a pity these efforts are spent on promoting the idea of discrimination and hate, rather than combating racism. One wonders how many of the delegates to this conference are in Geneva with other NGOs, waiting to attend the Durban Review Conference itself on Monday and how much of this hate they will take with them.
The “Israel review conference” continues today, but the chance of an improvement appear remote.
Tags: anti-Israel, Durban 2001, Durban Review Conference, Hizbullah, incitement to hatred, Israel, israel review conference, legalization of violence, propaganda
