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| Japan Times Editorial: Durban II Will 'Enshrine' Racism | |
| 2009-03-18 | |
(IsraelNN.com) In an editorial published last week, the respected publication, The Japan Times newspaper, said the upcoming United Nations anti-racism conference in Geneva, Switzerland, will "enshrine" vilification of Jews. The editors called for Durban II to be cancelled. Japan is still slated to attend.
"The charitable explanation for the mentality behind the Durban meetings is the mistaken belief that the best way to remedy the sufferings of one group is to victimize another. Less charitably, one could argue that Durban is an attempt to punish Israel and the Jews, regardless of what they have done." Acknowledging that "on paper" Durban II "is an eminently laudable project - if you believe that the United Nations should promote grand statements that promote norms of good behavior," the newspaper protested that "instead of fighting racism, the conference looks set to enshrine it as policy by singling out Israel for criticism and equating Zionism with racism." The Japan Times laments that Libya, the chair of the conference, and Cuba, the special rapporteur, "are not the only countries that desire to single out Israel for international censure." Protecting Islam, Defaming Jews Aside from the issue of Israel and Zionism, Western states have objected to the Durban II conference's planned call for restrictions on free speech, specifically protecting religion from "defamation". However, as noted by the The Japan Times, "the only religion identified by name is Islam." The newspaper explains that "members of the Muslim world are also using the frictions generated by the war against terrorism to privilege their religion at the conference. ...At the same time, protections for Jews are being blocked. An effort to protect against discrimination and intolerance looks like anything but." Ignoring Slavery Among Africans and Arabs In addition, the conference will apparently be calling for Western states to provide "reparations" for the slavery of Africans. Here, again, the The Japan Times observes an ingrained hypocrisy. "Many Western governments have acknowledged their role in enslaving and relocating millions of Africans," the newspaper said. "The demand that they make compensation payments may be cathartic but it is unrealistic. Moreover, it ignores the role of other players, some African and Arab, in the slave trade." | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 They hit the nail right on the head. Good job. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2009-03-18 12:08 |