UN Marks Durban Conference Anniversary Amid Israeli Objections
The United Nations is set to hold an event in New York on Monday commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 2001 World Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa. Israel has voiced strong opposition to the commemoration, viewing the original conference as a deeply problematic episode in the UN's history regarding antisemitism.
Ahead of the event, Israel's mission to the UN, led by Ambassador Danny Danon, launched a diplomatic campaign to scale back the program and garner support from countries opposing the initiative. These efforts have reportedly led to the event being confined to official working hours, with limited interactive discussion and no closing session.
The 2001 Durban conference, officially aimed at combating racism and discrimination, saw the Israeli and U.S. delegations walk out due to the treatment of Israel and the content of some draft texts. A parallel NGO forum also generated significant controversy over statements and documents deemed antisemitic and hostile to Israel.
Ambassador Danon criticized the UN's decision to commemorate the event, stating that the organization has not learned from Durban. He urged countries committed to fighting racism to refuse participation. Israel plans to continue its diplomatic efforts against the event during its proceedings on Monday.
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