26 March 2008 - Tell the NIF not to attend Durban II
The New Israel Fund (NIF) has hatched a plan to cooperate with other organizations in attending the 2009 World Conference on Racism in Durban, South Africa. Durban II looks like it will be every bit as bad as Durban I in 2001, and sensible governments are already boycotting or considering a boycott. Now comes the NIF with a set of "core principles" prepared by a Dutch group and signed by several other NGOs, which it hopes will magically rescue the WCAR from falling into an anti-Israel, anti-Jewish frenzy.
That plan, however well-intentioned, will not work, and will only serve to legitimate Durban II. Granted, boycotting might not be the best option, either; rather, the best approach would probably be to follow the example of the brave volunteers of the World Union of Jewish Students--who put up a great fight in Durban--and protest vigorously in Durban and elsewhere. But to actually participate in another hatefest in Durban would be like attending Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denial conference.
Nothing good can come of this. Tell Larry Garber, CEO of the NIF, not to legitimize Durban II: info@nif.org
posted by Joel @ 8:52 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Did NIF contact any South Africans to learn how Durban I impacted on the life of South Africa back in 2001? I will never forget the attack on the Jewish Doctor in Athlone and the antisemitic outbursts of just plain folks whilst waiting in lines for groceries in Jewish Sea Point. NIF must not go because the mindset of the locals and internationals behind this event is lynch Jewry. Durban I was such a disaster that someone who would even think of promoting a continuation conference implying approval of the last conference has obviously not done his/her research. As for opposition at the actual conference I trust SA Jewish students and SA JEwry to deliver the necessary, meaning that all other Jews can and should stay away. By leaving the challenge in SA Jewish hands, the ANC will again be exposed to the dilemma of continuing to remain on a positive footing with the intensely Zionist South African Jewish community or actually begin to actively oppose it and see the beginning of the end of that relationship and its very lucrative commercial relationships with Israel. I say impale them on the horns of the dilemma of continuing to support racism and anti semitism in the guise of "anti-racism" or making sure their relationship with local Jewry takes priority. A world Jewish boycott of Durban II is absolutely the way to go!
Another idea would be to organize an alternative anti-racism conference in Cape Town South Africa with the excellent reputation of the Cape Town Holocaust Center for leading the way in anti-racism education in South Africa. I sent this to Larry Garber.
Joel, I dont think the conference needs World Jewry to attend in order to give it legitimacy. Sadly for most people, it just being a UN conference is enough to make it credible. Prize number 1 is to moderate the conference. If that is not possible (which is a likely outcome), we have to go with the WUJS option. I think it would be a mistake to leave it all up to SA Jewry. Having been involved last time, I just don’t believe we could handle Durban 2 on our own. although it was not present that way in the press having heavy hitters like Anne Bayefsky there made a huge difference.
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