Israel Urges UN Boycott of Durban Conference Anniversary Over Antisemitism

Israel has called on all nations to boycott United Nations events commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Durban Conference, citing its legacy of antisemitism and attacks against the Jewish state. The event, marking the silver jubilee of the 2001 conference held in South Africa, is scheduled for September 28 at UN headquarters in New York. This comes just days before the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel. The United States has also previously opposed the celebrations. Israel's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Daniel Meron, stated that the Durban Conference became a focal point for antisemitism unseen since the Holocaust, arguing that celebrating its anniversary signals the UN's continued practice of singling out Israel for criticism. He noted that the conference devolved into the persecution of Jewish participants, with NGOs declaring Israel an apartheid state and calling for its isolation, laying the groundwork for modern anti-Israel campaigns and the BDS movement. Meron emphasized that past libels are now echoed in street demonstrations and legitimized by international bodies, used to justify attacks on Jews and threaten communities globally. The US Chargé d'Affaires, Jim Merz, echoed Israel's stance, stating that 25 years later, international institutions still struggle to overcome the negative legacy of the South African meeting. Washington had previously voted against the UN General Assembly resolution to hold this anniversary event.