Israel to Boycott UN Racism Summit

Meet-up will commemorate bitter Durban meetings
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 27, 2010 10:21 AM CST
Israel to Boycott UN Racism Summit
Jewish sympathizers protest in front of the press room entrance during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's press conference during the Durban review Conference (Durban II), April 20, 2009.   (AP Photo / Keystone, Salvatore Di Nolfi)

Israel has announced that it will boycott the UN’s 2011 racism summit because the event is being billed as a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Durban racism meeting, which produced a declaration critical of Israel and Zionism. “As long as the meeting is defined as part of the infamous 'Durban process,' Israel will not participate,” a spokeswoman for Israel’s UN mission said, slamming the original conference’s “anti-Semitic undertones and displays of hatred for Israel and the Jewish world.”

Canada has also said it will not take part in the event, according to the AFP, and the US joined Israel and 20 other nations in voting against holding the commemorative conference. But the measure still passed comfortably on Friday with 104 votes.
(More Durban stories.)

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