New Durban 2 statement still singles out Israel

[cali]

By Barak Ravid



Israel rejects the latest draft of the "Durban 2" anti-racism conference closing statement, a senior Foreign Ministry source said.

While all direct references to Israel and the Israel-Palestinian conflict have been removed - in an attempt to keep the European Union from boycotting - it still implicitly singles out Israel. Advertisement


"The first clause in the new document reaffirms the declaration of 'Durban 1,' which calls Israel a racist state, and the change is cosmetic only. The essence remains the same," the official said. "This is a diplomatic ruse intended to blur matters and introduce criticism of Israel by the back door."

The statement will be issued at the end of the second United Nations-sponsored World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, to be held in Geneva on April 20.


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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072216.html

[Grimm]

1. The new draft is available here (PDF)

http://www.eyeontheun.org/assets/attachments/documents/7534_3-17-09.pdf

[azurnoir]

2. The new draft is a must read

as far as so called "diplomatic ruses" to keep the EU from boycotting this seems a strange clause to add

82. Recognizes with deep concern the persistence of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against Roma/Gypsies/Sinti/Travellers, and the violence affecting these communities and urges States to take concrete measures to prevent, combat and eradicate these scourges and to provide access to just and effective remedies and special protection to the victims;

this directly implicates the EU so I guess its a really good ruse