Simon Wiesenthal Center urged UN to cancel Durban Conference, “an anti-Semitic hate party”

The Simon Wiesenthal Center urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to cancel the 20th anniversary event of the World Conference against Racism held for the first time in August 2001 in Durban, South Africa, taking into account the fact that several countries decided to boycott it by the anti-Semitic slogans that have been uttered there in previous editions.

“Faced with the announcement by President Emmanuel Macron of France’s adherence to the growing boycott against Durban IV, the Wiesenthal Center urges the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, to cancel the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Conference of Durban against racism, which has become an anti-Semitic hate party», Declared in a press release the famous NGO which works for the promotion of coexistence in diversity and fight against racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, discrimination and terrorism.

“Because of its rabid anti-Semitism, it is time for the UN to finally bury Durban, not celebrate it”said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and director of Global Social Action for the international Jewish NGO. “As the spokesperson for the Jewish groups present in Durban in 2001 and along with my Jewish delegates, we have been the target of verbal abuse and physical assault, so it is scandalous that there is an attempt to resuscitate the horrible “Achievements” made in the corridors of the General Assembly. It’s enough!”he added.

The United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Israel and other countries have already announced their boycott of the 20th anniversary event (Durban IV) at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 21 September.

Yes this Friday, France joined this boycott due to concerns about the “anti-Semitic statements” of previous editions, as reported by the cabinet of President Emmanuel Macron.

“France will continue to fight against all the forces of racism and will be vigilant so that the Durban conference is held in accordance with the founding principles of the United Nations”, said a statement from the French government.

The Durban Conference is expected to bring together world leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September. But the format has been controversial since its inception., with Israel-led critics accusing the first edition of Durban of being tainted with virulent and open-ended anti-Semitism.

Several nations, including France also boycotted the 2009 and 2011 conferences.

The first Durban Conference, held from August 31 to September 8, 2001, a few days before the terrorist attacks of September 11, was marked by deep divisions on issues of anti-Semitism, colonialism and slavery. Western countries consider that criticism of Israel has often turned into outright anti-Semitism. The United States and Israel left the conference to protest the tone of the meeting, including plans to include condemnations of Zionism in the final text.

At the 2009 conference, a speech by then Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacking Israel caused the temporary abandonment of many European delegates.

“The original Durban conference was a spectacle of anti-Israel hatred and propaganda and subsequent acts turned into acts of anti-Israel incitement.”a spokeswoman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said, confirming that Israel would not participate in this year’s event.

(With information from AFP)

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