Racism Conference Turns Into Fight Over Israel, Slavery

Sept. 2 -- A conference designed to address prejudice, racism and resentment has so far only exacerbated the very things it was meant to eradicate.

The U.N. World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa has been battling heated arguments over Israel and tensions in the Middle East as well as reparations for the ills and legacy of slavery.

Today, Israeli delegates threatened to leave the conference in protest over the final declaration from a human rights forum which branded the Jewish nation as a "racist apartheid" state.

The non-governmental organizaions (NGO) attending the forum heavily debated the wording of a resolution which was to be presented to the U.N. high commissioner for human rights.

Jewish and Christian groups walked out when it became clear that paragraphs in the resolution would condemn Israel for genocide against Palestinians.

"Jewish people came here from all over the world to take their place in the fight against racism and instead we have been painted as perpetrators," said Stacy Burdett of the Israeli Anti-Defamation league. "To call Zionism racism means that this conference recognizes the rights of every minority except Jews."

But Azmi Bishara, a Palestinian member of Israel's Knesset said "Our dealing with Zionism as a political ideology, I think, reflects a feeling of certain societies in the whole world."

Congressman Tom Lantos (D-Ca.) said that the NGO forum did not "measure up."

"It appeased the most extremist elements," he said. "We should have learned the lesson that when you appease extremists you lose."

South African President Thabo Mbeki told Reuters that aggressive diplomacyby the United States on Israel's behalf had beencounter-productive.

In an interview with Reuters, Mbeki said the extentto which the U.N. World Conference Against Racism had beendominated by the Middle East crisis was largely the result ofU.S. threats to boycott the 153-nation gathering.