DURBAN DEBACLE IN GENEVA

News from Glory of Zion webpage:

DURBAN DEBACLE IN GENEVA

"Last week the United Nations infamously allowed a Holocaust-denying despot who has called for Israel's destruction to be the key-note speaker at the so-called Durban II conference on racism in Geneva. On the first evening of the conference, which coincided with Hitler's birthday and the eve of Israel's memorial day to 6 ½ million murdered Jews, Mr. Ahmadinejad more than lived up to his reputation, releasing a 30 minute tirade centered on his hatred of the "Zionist regime" which he asserted (in his written speech) was created "on the pretext of Jewish sufferings and the ambiguous and dubious question of holocaust." He went on to claim in accusations strongly reminiscent of those of Hitler in the 30's that they "have imposed their domination to the extent that nothing can be done against their will. As long as they are at the helm of power, justice will never prevail in the world. It is time the ideal of Zionism, which is the paragon of racism, be broken. The world Zionism personifies racism that falsely resorts to religion and the abuse of religious sentiments to hide their hatred and ugly faces."

Nine countries chose not to grant legitimacy to the proceedings by their attendance: the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland. True, as the tenor of Ahmadinejad's remarks began to become clear, a large number of delegates dramatically arose and took their leave of the hall. However, it is significant that all save one-the Czech Republic-afterwards returned. Noticeably not among those making even a weak statement by a short absenting from the hall was the delegation from the Vatican.

How could the U.N. have allowed this man to give the key-note address? Was it 'political correctness'? (Ahmadinejad was the only head-of-state in attendance). The next day Israeli Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin sent a message to heads of parliament around the world, "The hate expressed by the President of Iran is a warning to all humanity: We risk seeing a repetition of the Holocaust and it will be brought about by people like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.73 years after the Berlin Olympics [of 1936], yesterday the world witnessed the return of Adolf Hitler."

A difference between Hitler and Ahmadinejad is that the former possessed a charisma which galvanized millions of his own countrymen and those of his allies into a kind of adoring idolatry. The Iranian president has no such oratory; furthermore, he is hated within his own country and viewed with suspicion and distrust by leaders of many Middle-Eastern Arab states. But what does the weakness displayed at Durban II suggest will be there to resist when 'another' arises to destroy whose message and favor breaks down the dividing wall between Shiite and Sunni Muslims?

It is heartening that a counter demonstration did take place. Concurrent with the conference, some 1,000 Christians from over ten European nations took part in a rally opposite the U.N. compound in Geneva with twenty Jewish groups headed by the World Jewish Congress and B'nai B'rith International in support of Israel. Speakers included former Soviet dissident and MK Natan Sharansky from Israel, former Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, French National Assembly member and head of the France-Israel parliamentary caucus Claude Goasguen, Italian journalist and parliamentarian Fiamma Nirenstein, and Founder and Chief Counsel of Jerusalem Institute of Justice Calev Myers."