Good Call on Durban II, Mr. President

In boycotting the second United Nations Conference Against Racism (dubbed "Durban II"), being held today in Geneva, Switzerland, President Barack Obama has shown leadership in opposing anti-Semitism.

Over the weekend, President Obama defended his decision to boycott the conference, saying the anti-Israel rhetoric in the draft final communique was "oftentimes completely hypocritical and counterproductive."

The first United Nations Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa in 2001 ("Durban I") degenerated into an anti-Israel, anti-Semitic hate fest of demagoguery and threats. (To cite just a couple of examples, fliers depicting Hitler with the question "What if I had won?" circulated among participants and at one point, thousands of demonstrators marched bearing banners proclaiming "Hitler Should Have Finished the Job.")

In a poignant and revolting historical irony that is surely no accident, this year's United Nations Conference Against Racism coincides with Holocaust Remembrance Day, and this year's guest of honor is Mahmoud "the Holocaust is a Myth" Ahmadinejad.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today: "Six million of our people were slaughtered in the Holocaust. While we commemorate them, a conference purporting to be against racism will convene in Switzerland. The guest of honor is a racist, a Holocaust denier who makes no secret of his intention of wiping Israel off the face of the earth."

It might seem that the decision to boycott a hate fest would be an easy call for any civilized individual or country. But representatives of France and Britain are attending, and according to early reports, Ahmadinejad has used his podium to spew more vicious anti-Semitism. Meanwhile, Switzerland's President Hans-Rudolf Merz and Mr. Ahmadinejad held a tete a tete on the sidelines. Memo to Mr. Merz: cozying up to the world's premier Holocaust-denier and anti-Semite on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day is no way to be neutral. Looks like our President made the right call.

In a show of solidarity that this pundit finds gratifying and frankly a little surprising, other countries that have boycotted are Israel (okay that was a no brainer), Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Germany. And just today, Poland, the country in which more Jews were slaughtered during the Holocaust than any other, announced it was boycotting, too.

Thank you for leading the way, Mr. President.

Comments

[skialethia]

With Israel, it always comes down to me, myself and I. Even if the Holocaust was 70 years ago we must be forever apologizing and sympathizing with people who are stealing land so they can live the good life in nice houses overlooking the misery and poverty of the ghettos where people are subjected to regular harrassment by the settlers, where they suffer under the oppressive measures imposed on them by Israel and where hopelessness is what they wake up to every single day.

Those who boycotted are complicit and are enabling this injustice.

[airforce-army]

I know the Jewish People suffered and died in concentration camps during hitlers quest for world dominance. Throughout history other groups have been the victims of mass murder and state-sponsored atrocities. Poland the birthplace of my Father has been brutalized and conquered many times in history. The Irish, the Chinese, the Koreans, the American Indian and most recent the Iraq People have been murdered by the tens of thousands and millions displaced by the Bush Doctrine and his allies that include Israel. I was born in 1952 and as far back as I can remember Polish Jokes were accepted along with other nationalities, Not once did I hear any cries of anti-polishism or other isims only anti-semitism. There will always be nut-cases like the Iranian president making stupid comments but when every constructive criticism or question or innocent comment toward Israel is labelled anti-semitic thats a problem. There is no Country or Religious Group that is free from commiting wrongs against other people, sometime in history . Why is Israel having a Holocaust Remembrance Day , does anyone think the world has forgetton?

[Libertyfan]

Equating polish jokes with the holocaust is pitiful. Sounds a lot like Peta who talk about the similarity between the holocaust and chicken abuse.

[airforce-army]

Your not the only people in the world that have suffered at the hands of others, Move on, this crusade is getting old!!!

[mitaka]

"The first United Nations Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa in 2001 ("Durban I") degenerated into an anti-Israel, anti-Semitic hate fest of demagoguery and threats. (To cite just a couple of examples, fliers depicting Hitler with the question "What if I had won?" circulated among participants and at one point, thousands of demonstrators marched bearing banners proclaiming "Hitler Should Have Finished the Job.")"

That certainly doesn't make a cogent reason for boycotting a conference, especially if your example pertains to a previous conference and not the current one. Plus, I don't quite remember US boycotting any G7-G8-G20 meetings even though all kinds of protests were going on outside the conference venues, calling for the abolishing of capitalism, money, imperialism, etc. I wouldn't call what went on outside G20 meetings in London a "love fest" either. So, what were you saying again?

[angstmom]

One thing I love about the author is she a truly objective, free thinking journalist who does not follow any party line. I appreciate her ability to thoughtfully analyze the issues without jumping on the conservative or liberal bandwagon.
Bravo Ms. Robinson for offering us a truly unique perspective.
Bravo President Obama for standing up to anti-semitism!

[PlaceboStudman]

I'm confused. This article as well as other sources I've read have said that The US has boycotted the conference, yet in another post here in The World section, it claims that The US and other countries walked out of the conference. How can you walk out of a conference you boycotted?