I. Introduction
The UN Third International
Conference on Racism
"The World Conference
will be a unique and important opportunity to create a new world vision
for the fight against racism and racial discrimination in the new millennium.
In order to have a real impact, the Conference should not only promote
greater awareness concerning the scourge of racism, but also lead to decisive
action at the national, regional and international levels in order to
help those who suffer on daily basis from racism and racial discrimination"
For a full outline
of the conference's aims see:
http://www.un.org/WCAR/e-kit/fact1.htm
The Situation
Despite praiseworthy intentions,
the UN Third International Conference on Racism became a circus for anti-Israel
and often AntiSemitic statements. The conference was hijacked by those
not interested in fighting Racism or racial discrimination, resolved to
dominate it with their particular agenda. Israel was delegitimized and
Zionism, the national movement of the Jewish People, was outcast.
Never, in recent times, has there been such a vicious attack on Israel
and the Jewish people.
43 countries, including all
15 EU states, Canada, Russia, South Africa and India, objected to the
content and format of the proposed closing resolution, and the US went
even further. Following the US decision to pull out of the Conference,
Israel also decided to vacate the arena.
Eventually, the worst possible
scenario was averted and the concluding resolution did not contain allegations
that Israel is a racist or apartheid state. However, the situation had
been brewing for over six months, contributing to new waves of Antisemitism
in Europe and on North American campuses. Morever, it seems set to continue
after Durban.
The Need for Response
To experienced observers, this
is easily identified as a massive re-run of the old Zionism=Racism libel,
in new formats and under a broader coalition. Official Israeli organs
therefore decided to take a cautious stand ahead of the Durban Conference,
engaging diplomatic forces worldwide in the effort to change the disturbing
alignment against Israel's legitimacy as the Jewish state. The seriousness
of the events brings into question the closeness of this call in what
is supposedly a tolerant and liberal age, the role of the UN and its affiliated
agencies, and the overall requirement for operative ideas to combat Antisemitism
in different formats and forums.
In this unit, we bring an overview
of what has been happening, with built-in resources, hands-on activities,
training suggestions and links. While they do focus on the events at Durban
and the context around them, they are intended to be equally useful in
the longer term.
II.
Overview: Israel and the UN - a troubled past
The events at Durban are not
new historically. Arab members of the UN have manipulated the General
Assembly (GA) as a forum for isolating and chastising Israel. Their advantage
is simply mathematical. In the UN argument and rational discussion does
not sway the vote, but rather who has more political support. Within the
UN there is a built in anti-Israel lobby. With support from third-world
nations, the Non-Aligned group and others, the Arab and Islamic states
can guarantee the passage of any anti-Israel resolutions.
See: Shimon Peres 04
September 2001 "The Arab League is made up of 24 countries, 30
nations - totally anti-Israeli, totally against peace, for the renewal
of the boycott, for the continuation of the intifada, for the cutting
of relations with Israel, and no reason nor justice nor activity can change
their position.
Unfortunately, there is
another bloc, the Muslim League, which comprises 60 countries, over a
billion people, and there, too, the position is basically anti-Israeli,
not necessarily pro-peace, extremely biased, on many occasions ignorant
about what is taking place here. May I say that among all those Muslim
countries and Arab countries, I can hardly recognize a real democracy,
a full democracy. In many of them there is neither peace nor civil rights,
nor really an understanding of the conflict which is taking place in our
country, in our region."
Many of the anti-Israel actions
take place at the following prestigious forums:
Each year, at the opening session
of the GA, the Arab members challenge the credentials of the Israeli delegation.
For decades, the Security Council
has also participated in singling out Israel by passing one-sided resolutions
charging Israel with sole responsibility for human rights violations,
violence and deportations. On the other hand, Palestinian and other Arab
violations and involvement with such incidents are rarely criticized,
or even noted by the Council.
Some UN agencies have also
exhibited anti-Israel sentiments. For example, between 1974 and 1987 the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
instituted financial sanctions against the Jewish State, passed hundreds
of resolutions criticizing Israel's activities on the West Bank, and denounced
Israel's archeological and restoration efforts in Jerusalem.
Israel and the UN -Links
1. Israel Ministry of Foreign
Affairs website -
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH01350
or http://www.israel-un.org/
and summary http://www.israel-un.org/Israelun/isrun/isrun2.htm
2. American Jewish Committee website
Statement on Treatment of Israel in the UN:
http://www.ajc.org/i/treatment%20israel%20index.asp
3. CICR analysis:
Review of UN Record with Israel http://www.cicweb.ca/publications/ForTheRecord/un.html
Zionism is Racism
Among the most harmful UN anti-Israel
resolutions was the notorious General Assembly #3379 resolution equating
Zionism with racism, passed in November 1975 by 72 to 35. It stated
that Zionism "is a form of racism and racial discrimination... [and]
is a threat to world peace and security."
Links to the Record
1. 1975 - Text of the UNGAXXX
Resolution #3379 Zionism = Racism
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0cfx0
2. Chaim Herzog's Speech
to the UN General Assembly 10 November 1975, following Resolution #3379
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0e960
Political Analysis of #3379:
3. More significant official
comments on #3379 collected in the USA http://www.yahoodi.com/peace/zisr.html
and analysis
http://www.yahoodi.com/peace/antizionism.html
4. A good argument in the
Jerusalem Post http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2001/07/31/Opinion/Opinion.31541.html
5. Other famous quotes:
|
There
is no difference whatever between Anti-Semitism and the denial of
Israel's statehood. Classical Anti-Semitism denies the equal right
of Jews as citizens within society. Anti-Zionism denies the equal
rights of the Jewish people its lawful sovereignty within the community
of nations. The common principle in the two cases is discrimination."
Abba Eban, New York Times, November 3, 1975
You
declare that you do not hate Jews, you are merely anti-Zionist.
And I say, let the truth ring forth from high on the mountain
tops... When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews... What
is anti-Zionist? It is the denial of the Jewish people of a fundamental
right that we justly claim for the people of Africa and freely
accord all other nations of the globe."
Reverend Martin Luther King, 1968.
|
Anti-Israel resolutions at the
United Nations coincide with events in the Middle East.
An improvement was facilitated by the collapse of the Soviet Union, which
left the Arab member states devoid of the superpower ally needed to maintain
their powerful anti-Israel activities and enhanced by the western-led Gulf
War alliance against Iraq.
Indeed, UN-Israeli relations
seemed to improve from the beginning of the Oslo Accords,
III. Israel
and the UN - The "Good News"
December 1991, just
weeks after the conclusion of the historic Madrid conference, the United
Nations repealed the infamous "Zionism is racism" resolution.
1991 - Revocation
of GA #3379
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0cfz0
As the Middle East peace process
got underway and the Israelis and Palestinians signed the historic Declaration
of Principles in 1993, there began to be a significant decrease in the
number of anti-Israel condemnations at the UN. For the first time, the
Human Rights Commission condemned Anti-Semitism as a form of racism.
In June 1993, Israel
was nominated to its first UN committee, the Committee for Information.
In 1994, Israelis were
permitted to participate in the UN peace-keeping mission in Angola and
to travel to South Africa, as part of a UN effort to monitor the country's
first democratic elections. At that time, Israelis also began to be elected
to notable UN positions, such as the high administrative tribunal at the
Hague, Vice Chair of the World Health Organization's Executive Committee,
and member of the Human Rights Committee.
In 1995, the GA adopted
18 Middle East resolutions, eight of which have since been reworded to
refrain from condemning Israel, and eight more modified otherwise.
IV. The
Anti-Israel Campaign Begins Again
Since the escalation of violence
in the Middle East, there has been renewed movement at the UN with Israel
again the target of one sided condemnations, and unfair criticism.
At the time of the UN's 50th
anniversary, the organization failed to mention the Holocaust in its World
War II resolution, despite pleas by Israel.
The UN has passed a number
of anti-Israel resolutions regarding Israel's construction project at
Har Homa in Jerusalem. On March 12, 1997, the GA passed the first of these
resolutions by 130 to 2; once more, only the United States and Israel
voted against it.
Most controversial was the
recent "video clip scandal."
After Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon,
three Israeli soldiers were
kidnapped.
See: Campaign for
Israel's MIAs - resources, activities & links on
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/news/mias/campain.html
After a press story in Israel,
it became clear that the UN was withholding information and, in particular,
a videotape filmed at the time, which would shed light on the kidnapping.
Only after a huge protest did the UN allow Israel to observe these tapes
and then only under restriction.
What is Zionism?
1. Zionism - Israel Ministry
of Foreign Affairs articles:
2. Zionism - on-site links:
What is The Law of Return?
1. MFA website
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0kdo0
2. Link to Law of Return
Activity section and presentation:
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/50/act/shvut/index.html
[Homepage] [Next]
|