I posted yesterday on the shameful decision by the Obama administration to boycott the Durban II conference being held in Geneva. Well, even though the US isn't there, the show must go on, and what a show it is. Here is a story from the JTA on the activities leading up to the official events:
There are several other good sources following the story, including invaluable reports from MuzzleWatch, which is on the scene. Please check out their site. So far they've reported how, far from boycotting the event, Israel is out in full force with an intense publicity campaign. This p.r. campaign hits on many themes familiar to this site, including the issue of Darfur. They've also shown how not all pro-Israel groups are as sophisticated when it comes to messaging, including one pro-settler organization that is using the opportunity of Geneva to promote the Jerusalem settlement Nof Zion, a settlement we've mentioned before on Mondoweiss.
Finally, Antony Loewenstein gives a good rundown of events on his blog. He ends with:
As a Jew who writes extensively about Israel/Palestine, I have no
desire for Iran to speak for me on human rights (and my recent book, The Blogging Revolution,
details the woeful record of the Islamic Republic.) But the fierce
resistence to even examine the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and
its well documented recent abuses
in Gaza is shameful. These are not actions of a civilised nation. It is
the behaviour that we would condemn if done by a relatively unknown
Third World nation, but Israel is seemingly untouchable.Well, it’s not anymore. Any number of activists, journalists, human
rights workers and lawyers are increasingly speaking out about
Palestine. Until the Western political and elite understand this,
resistance will continue. Self-appointed Jewish leaders and their
Western backers are trying to stop the inevitable; Israel is the new
South Africa and will soon be viewed in exactly the same way that that
apartheid regime was seen.
Wow, and this is just after day one! Stay tuned.
Who's the babe at 2:14?
Sorry…can't be ALL business…
Adam,
How can you write about Durban 2, without referring to the extensive coverage in Haaretz, or even the conventional press?
It is not insignificant. Its somewhat of a negligence for you guys to have missed this event so thoroughly in favor of the convenient Harman story.
http://www.haaretz.com/
You didn't note that Ahmenidijad was the only head of state to attend, spoke 30 minutes beyond his alotted 7, lambasted Israel and the west (while ignoring the extreme human rights abuses in Iran, including a recent secret trial of an American journalist as a spy), and that most European delegates conspicuously walked out during his speech, or that a Palestinian doctor who had been jailed in Libya confronted the Libyan conference president about their human rights abuses.
Man, so many good and poignant stories. Is your ommission because the conclusions didn't fit your storyline?
How can anyone then rely on your reporting for an weighing of the importance of content? How can one distinguish your postings from propaganda?
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/tags/index.jhtml?tag=Durban+II
21.4.2009 | 09:39 Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
U.S.: Ahmadinejad speech vile, but doesn't preclude diplomacy
tags: Israel News, Jewish World, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Durban II
21.4.2009 | 06:39 Reuters
Vatican decision to attend Durban II opens new rift with Jews
tags: Israel News, Durban II, Vatican, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
21.4.2009 | 05:30 Haaretz Service and The Associated Press
Netanyahu: We won't let Holocaust deniers repeat genocide against Jews
tags: Israel News, Durban II, Jewish World, Holocaust Remembrance
21.4.2009 | 04:11 By Yair Sheleg
Reviewing the Zionist
tags: Holocaust, Durban II, Israel News
21.4.2009 | 00:42 By Natasha Mozgovaya, Assaf Uni, Barak Ravid and Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondents, and The Associated Press
Israel recalls Swiss envoy over Ahmadinejad presence at summit
tags: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, durban II, israel news, Haaretz TV
21.4.2009 | 00:41 Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Staff and News Agencies
Ahmadinejad at Durban II: Holocaust was pretext for Israel's creation
tags: Iran, Israel News, Durban II, Zionism
21.4.2009 | 00:22 By Benjamin L. Hartman, Haaretz Correspondent
Durban II / A self-righteous anti-Zionist jamboree
tags: Iran, Zionism, Israel News, Durban II
20.4.2009 | 23:56 By Cnaan Liphshiz, Haaretz Correspondent
Jewish leader: Walkout by EU delegates at Durban II a victory for Europe
tags: Israel News, Jewish World, Durban II, European Union
20.4.2009 | 21:59 Haaretz Service and News Agencies
WATCH: Durban delegates storm out in protest of Ahmadinejad speech
tags: durban II, UN anti-racism, israel news, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
20.4.2009 | 18:58 Reuters
Excerpts from disputed UN race declarations
tags: Durban II, Israel News
20.4.2009 | 18:03 By Haaretz Staff
IN PICTURES / The Durban II anti-racism conference
tags: Israel News, Durban II, Iran, Zionism
Richard Witty, do you rely on mondoweiss for your daily news?
Why do you never concern yourself with, say, the Tamil or Native American issues, Richard? You fail to direct readers to all sorts of heartbreaking events. You're failing us, Richard.
Margaret, you failed yourself. Like the Murderous palestinian islamic fascists you defend, you are the author of your own misery and failed life.
This is mad, who gave Ahmadinejād this prominence? Why didn't they ask him to hand in his speech in advance? Absolutely crazy. And strictly the well-known scapegoat scenario, since overdone. The only thing we can hope is that he will not be reelected.
I am critical of Israel and the NGO watch pressure groups, but strictly isn't this exactly what they expected? I have to read Trita Parsi. …
Cecile Surasky:
the parts of ahmadinedjad's speech i read are eloquent. to criticize him, his speech, one is a fool, a tool, or a jew.
5ds
Whatever Iran's record on human rights it doesn't hold a candle to that of Israels in terms of brutality and pervasiveness.
Iran is being victimized here. All people of conscience and all people who value the truth should be defending Iran from the Israel/U.S conspiracy to plunder and destroy a great nation with a proud history.
When Israel attacks Iran there could be hundreds of thousands of civilians dying as well – Israel is equipped with these bunker busting mini nukes which various experts have claimed pose serious threat to civilian life in Iran. That should be the story.
The other big story IMO is the inexcusable reaction of western diplomats and even the Vatican in claiming the Ahmadinejad speech to be 'extreme' – specifically for claiming that Israel is a racist regime.
How anyone could argue against this with a straight face – particularly the gentile crowd is inexcusable.
I'm sure the thinking is to not isolate Israel anymore than it is for fear of it carrying out a horrible atrocity against the Palestinians in reprisal – which is the likely scenario.
But it is still inexcusable….
Bottom line: Durban I was a major impetus eventually getting rid of the apartheid S. African regime (one state solution, please, there), while the white boys club ignores Durban today–
in the face of Gaza yet, let alone the last forty plus years of Palestinians treated as dogs.
"Whatever Iran's record on human rights it doesn't hold a candle to that of Israels in terms of brutality and pervasiveness."
You don't have a clue.
"Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
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See also: Human rights in the Pahlavi Dynasty and Human rights in Iran
The state of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been criticized both by both Iranians and international human right activists, writers, and NGOs. The United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Commission have condemned abuses in Iran in published critiques and several resolutions.
The government of Iran is criticized both for restrictions and punishments that follow the Islamic Republic's constitution and law, and for actions that do not, such as the torture, rape, and killing of political prisoners, and the beatings and killings of dissidents and other civilians.
Restrictions and punishments lawful in the Islamic Republic that violate international human rights norms include: harsh penalties for crimes; amputation of offenders hands and feet; punishment of "victimless crimes" such as fornication, homosexuality, apostasy, poor hijab (covering of the head for women); execution of offenders under 18 years of age; restrictions on freedom of speech, and the press, including the imprisonment of journalists; unequal treatment according to religion and gender in the Islamic Republic's constitution – especially attacks on members of the Bahá'í religion.
Reported abuses falling outside of the laws of the Islamic Republic that have been condemned include the execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, and the widespread use of torture to extract repudiations by prisoners of their cause and comrades on video for propaganda purposes.[1] Also condemned has been firebombings of newspaper offices and attacks on political protesters by "quasi-official organs of repression," particularly "Hezbollahi," and the murder of dozens of regime opponents in the 1990, allegedly by "rogue elements" of the government.
Under the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Iran’s human rights record "has deteriorated markedly" according to the group Human Rights Watch.[2]
Officials of the Islamic Republic have responsed to criticism by stating the IRI is not obliged to follow "the West's interpretation" of human rights but to "fulfill … international commitments in accordance to its interest as an Islamic country,"[3] and that the Islamic Republic is a victim of "biased propaganda of enemies" which is "part of a greater plan against the world of Islam."[4] Those who human rights activists say are peaceful political activists being denied due process rights are actually committing Offenses Against the National and International Security of the Country.[5]"
Richard, good to see you're so interested in the rights of non-Jews. But you probably shouldn't be getting your information on Iran from the Wikipedia.
Richard, I vividly remember that my Iranian friend feared SAVAK, quite a bit too.
We have many Iranians here in Germany. During Pahlavi regime quite a few decided to not return either.
Link to the transcript of the speech.
What exactly did Ahmadinejad say that was so shocking? Richard, would you post something? I found this quote to be emminently reasonable: “The word Zionism personifies racism that falsely resorts to religion and abuses religious sentiments to hide their hatred and ugly faces.”
I can understand someone disagreeing with it, but no one can claim it's beyond the pale. Most of the world shares the opinion.
That's Witty's sick and repulsive ethics for you. The Israeli's are humanitarians when they blanket a schoolyard with phosphorus but the Iranians are committing "horrific human rights abuses" when they put an American spy on trial!