Yet again, the anti-Israel bloc continues to single out the State of Israel and is attempting to divert this conference into another platform to de-legitimize and censure the Jewish state. In addition, radical Islamic states are attempting to insert protection against “defamation of religion,” which would be a contradiction to the universal human right to freedom of speech.
Speaking of contradiction, isn’t this one? Arab countries including some on the Durban Review committee (Libya, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Syria) deny freedoms of religion, sexual orientation rights, and women’s rights, among others. These are some of the very rights the Conference is trying to or supposed to protect! And these countries are some of the world's worst offenders! And Israel's record on these human rights is second to none. I agree with myself; this is a contradiction.
In the previous paragraph, I mentioned Iran. Recent news from various and respected organizations say that next week I will be in the company of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He has confirmed that he will be attending the Conference. Rumors are that he will be addressing same on Tuesday, April 21st. He and his friends may not realize this, but Tuesday is Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day. Wouldn't that be strange irony; the world's most ardent Holocaust denier speaking on the day the world remembers the six million Jews killed by the Nazis? And what will be the topic of his remarks? Probably the usual, including the Holocaust never happened, the world should destroy Israel and every Jew, and the Jews control the US and all of Europe. Maybe I'll get a chance to chat with him or at least ask him a question.
In review, the anti-Israel lies and the “defamation of religion” verbiage are the two main “problems” with the Conferences, both back in Durban and now in Geneva, and with the document born from Durban and to be modified, approved, and implemented in Geneva.
If you get a minute, please check out some of the following web addresses:
http://www.ajc.org/
http://www.bostonfreedomforum.org/
http://www.ngo-monitor.org/
http://www.eyeontheun.org/ http://www.unwatch.org/ http://www.davidproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=50&Itemid=73 http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/c.hsJPK0PIJpH/b.672581/k.9AD8/For_freedom_security_and_peace_in_Israel_and_the_Middle_East.htm http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/c.hsJPK0PIJpH/b.672631/apps/s/content.asp?ct=6707357
I know these are a lot of web addresses, but I think you'll find them worthwhile.
For security reasons, I am unable to tell you of the programs and events I will be attending in advance. I promise, however, to tell you all about them after the fact.
Please check back here often. I will try to update this daily with stimulating and concise dispatches. Thank you for reading this blog.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Five Days until Day One of Conference
The Durban Review Conference will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, April 20-24, 2009.
I will be attending, participating, witnessing, recording, and reporting on the United Nations’ proceedings, the NGO proceedings, and “life on the street” in Geneva during the week. My trip is made possible by the American Jewish Committee’s new generation program, called ACCESS. I am one of 21 from across the US selected for this honor and the only participant from Boston.
The Durban Review Conference will evaluate progress towards the goals set by the United Nations’ World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. Besides the UN event in Durban 8 years ago, a non-governmental organization (NGO) forum occurred almost simultaneously and adjacent. Both demonstrated and issued some of the most anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, and inaccurate statements seen in decades.
The main goal of the Geneva meeting is the eventual implementation and confirmation of the 2001 Durban Conference’s final document (Durban Declaration and Programme of Action). This and many other documents can be found at www.eyeontheun.org/Durban .
I leave soon and will be in Geneva starting this Saturday. The schedule we will keep is packed with much interaction with international attendees on both sides of the issues. Besides the UN Conference, there is a pre-conference called the Geneva Summit For Human Rights, Tolerance and Democracy. See the program and many sponsors at http://www.genevasummit.org/ . Inversely, there is an anti-Israel meeting, similar to the one in Durban, planned as well. This one is called the Israel Review Conference. This will be a hate filled program based on the false accusations that Israel is a state of colonialism, apartheid, and occupation.
Please check back here often. I will try to update this daily and offer items I hope you find interesting and worthwhile. Thank you for reading this blog.
I will be attending, participating, witnessing, recording, and reporting on the United Nations’ proceedings, the NGO proceedings, and “life on the street” in Geneva during the week. My trip is made possible by the American Jewish Committee’s new generation program, called ACCESS. I am one of 21 from across the US selected for this honor and the only participant from Boston.
The Durban Review Conference will evaluate progress towards the goals set by the United Nations’ World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. Besides the UN event in Durban 8 years ago, a non-governmental organization (NGO) forum occurred almost simultaneously and adjacent. Both demonstrated and issued some of the most anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, and inaccurate statements seen in decades.
The main goal of the Geneva meeting is the eventual implementation and confirmation of the 2001 Durban Conference’s final document (Durban Declaration and Programme of Action). This and many other documents can be found at www.eyeontheun.org/Durban .
I leave soon and will be in Geneva starting this Saturday. The schedule we will keep is packed with much interaction with international attendees on both sides of the issues. Besides the UN Conference, there is a pre-conference called the Geneva Summit For Human Rights, Tolerance and Democracy. See the program and many sponsors at http://www.genevasummit.org/ . Inversely, there is an anti-Israel meeting, similar to the one in Durban, planned as well. This one is called the Israel Review Conference. This will be a hate filled program based on the false accusations that Israel is a state of colonialism, apartheid, and occupation.
Please check back here often. I will try to update this daily and offer items I hope you find interesting and worthwhile. Thank you for reading this blog.
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