Wiesenthal ‘outraged’ Germany participating in Durban III

[King_David]

Berlin defends its participation in UN conference, saying it is working to “prevent the Durban process from being used to pillory Israel.



BERLIN – The Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a strongly worded letter on Tuesday to Germany’s ambassador to the United Nations, condemning his country’s failure to boycott the UN-sponsored Durban III conference, which has become a hallmark process for singling out Israel for attacks and charges of racism.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the associate dean of the Wiesenthal Center, told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday, “As one of the spokesmen for the Jewish groups at the anti-Semitic hatefest that was Durban I in South Africa – as well watching the UN bestow the opening Speech of Durban II in Geneva to Ahmadinejad – a leader openly committed to the Jewish state’s destruction, I am deeply shocked that Berlin is dithering until the last moment instead of taking the lead to defund and shut down the Durban Process once and for all.”

The Wiesenthal letter was sent to Ambassador Peter Wittig, Germany’s top diplomat at the UN. Cooper and Mark Weitzman, the Wiesenthal Center’s director of governmental affairs, wrote, “We are contacting you to express our deep consternation and outrage that Germany has not yet decided to boycott the 10th anniversary of the so-called Durban process. From the outset in August 2011, the World Conference Against Racism has served to facilitate the canard that Israel is an apartheid state, and more recently, provided a keynote platform for Iran’s President Ahmadinejad, who openly calls for the annihilation of the Jewish state.”

The letter concluded: “We urge Germany to immediately announce that it will not attend next month’s Durban event at the United Nations in New York, and to urge all other members of the European Union to follow suit.”

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=236382

[King_David]

1. WJC calls for Germany to boycott Durban III

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
08/28/2011 02:42


Germany’s Jews say their country must show understanding for "Israel’s struggle for existence."





BERLIN – The World Jewish Congress on Friday called on the international community, citing specifically Germany, to boycott the UN-sponsored Durban III anti-racism conference slated for next month in New York City.

“The World Jewish Congress urges all countries to follow the example set by Canada, the United States, Israel, Australia and the Czech Republic, Italy and the Netherlands, and to not participate in the UN commemoration of the Durban process, the World Jewish Congress told The Jerusalem Post in a statement on Friday.

http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=235651

[King_David]

2. Australian PM: We won't attend Durban III conference

By GIL SHEFLER
08/23/2011 17:37


Gillard says Australia hasn't been convinced that UN-backed meeting will avoid unbalanced criticism of Israel, airing of anti-Semitic views.

Australia will not attend the Durban III conference, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s spokesman announced on Tuesday.

“Australia remained involved in the early stages of consultation on the high-level meeting in order to oppose attempts to endorse extreme language or explicit references to the text of the Durban Declaration,” a spokesperson for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.


“But we have not been convinced that the high-level meeting will avoid unbalanced criticism of Israel and the airing of anti-Semitic views,” explained the spokesman, saying that Australia could not “support a meeting that chooses to reaffirm the original Durban Declaration, as appears likely.”

The high-level meeting on the Durban Declaration and Plan of Action was scheduled to take place at the United Nations in New York City on September 22.


http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=235094

[King_David]

3. Austria pulls out of 'anti-Israel' Durban III conference

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
08/31/2011 17:39


Central European country joins list of 7 countries opposing UN anti-racism event; Swiss government slated to participate.

Talkbacks (58)



BERLIN – Austria does not plan to attend the so-called Durban III antiracism conference, which is slated to take place on September 22 in New York City, a spokesman for Austria’s Foreign Ministry told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

Austrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Schallenberg told the Post that “we have no intention of participating in Durban III in September.” Austria has now joined the anti-Durban group of countries, which includes Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Australia, the United States, Canada and Israel.

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=236175