The European Union has condemned the Durban conference resolution equating Zionism to racism. It was this resolution that led the U.S. and Israel to announce last night their intention to quit the conference. The EU\'s condemnation was publicized in the European parliament, currently convened in Strassbourg, France. Belgium\'s Deputy Foreign Minister also condemned Palestinian suicide terrorism, calling acts of this nature \"shameful.\"
Deputy Foreign Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior, who was to have led the Israeli delegation to Durban, but remained at home after the delegation was downgraded, told Arutz-7 today that he is “deeply concerned by the escalation of the hatred in the Arab world towards us, the new code words, etc.\" He noted that Egypt was among the worst offenders in its encouragement of hatred at the Conference, and that its Foreign Minister had even exclaimed to a group of Israeli reporters, “Who cares if five or ten cars blow up in Jerusalem?”
Melchior explained his concerns that the conference would likely have “broad negative results for the State of Israel, not just in terms of politics and public relations, but also in the economic and the social spheres,” as a result of decisions taken in various forums at the conference. On the other hand, Rabbi Melchior finds encouragement in the fact that many countries did not support the Arab position in favor of anti-Israel resolutions. He cites countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia that publicly expressed their frustration over Arab manipulation of the Conference for anti-Israel propaganda: \"The Ugandan delegate asked why no one is talking about the blacks who are systematically discriminated against by Arabs in neighboring Sudan, and the Rwandan asked why the conference was being hijacked for anti-Israeli propaganda...\" Furthermore, according to Rabbi Melchior, most of the editorials in the world press condemn the sharp escalation in Arab anti-Semitic hatred. “Most of the world supports us,” said the Deputy Minister, “even if this does not find expression in the mass media... But I am very fearful of the escalation of hatred against us in the Arab world...\"
When asked how he feels, in light of his support for the Oslo agreements as a way of increasing Israeli acceptance in the world, about the anti-Semitism displayed in Durban, Rabbi Melchior said, \"I think we have to distinguish between the fact that the world does not want us in Judea and Samaria and the fact that they are not willing to accept the escalated hatred against Israel...\"
MK Michael Kleiner (Herut) rather emphasizes the negative significance of the Durban conference anti-Semitism. He told Arutz-7 today, \"Every pogrom and even the Holocaust was preceded by some conference or political forum that paved the way for strong violence, and I fear that this one will not end only with words… I think that the Durban conference released the anti-Semitic demon from the bottle, as we see beatings of Jews in Paris, Nazi graffiti in Belgium, and the sale of \'Fuehrer Wine\' in Italy. Jews are often the last ones to see the writing on the wall, and they should not count on coming to Israel at the last minute… The time to come to Israel is now, and despite all, Israel is still the safest place for Jews.\"
Deputy Foreign Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior, who was to have led the Israeli delegation to Durban, but remained at home after the delegation was downgraded, told Arutz-7 today that he is “deeply concerned by the escalation of the hatred in the Arab world towards us, the new code words, etc.\" He noted that Egypt was among the worst offenders in its encouragement of hatred at the Conference, and that its Foreign Minister had even exclaimed to a group of Israeli reporters, “Who cares if five or ten cars blow up in Jerusalem?”
Melchior explained his concerns that the conference would likely have “broad negative results for the State of Israel, not just in terms of politics and public relations, but also in the economic and the social spheres,” as a result of decisions taken in various forums at the conference. On the other hand, Rabbi Melchior finds encouragement in the fact that many countries did not support the Arab position in favor of anti-Israel resolutions. He cites countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and Ethiopia that publicly expressed their frustration over Arab manipulation of the Conference for anti-Israel propaganda: \"The Ugandan delegate asked why no one is talking about the blacks who are systematically discriminated against by Arabs in neighboring Sudan, and the Rwandan asked why the conference was being hijacked for anti-Israeli propaganda...\" Furthermore, according to Rabbi Melchior, most of the editorials in the world press condemn the sharp escalation in Arab anti-Semitic hatred. “Most of the world supports us,” said the Deputy Minister, “even if this does not find expression in the mass media... But I am very fearful of the escalation of hatred against us in the Arab world...\"
When asked how he feels, in light of his support for the Oslo agreements as a way of increasing Israeli acceptance in the world, about the anti-Semitism displayed in Durban, Rabbi Melchior said, \"I think we have to distinguish between the fact that the world does not want us in Judea and Samaria and the fact that they are not willing to accept the escalated hatred against Israel...\"
MK Michael Kleiner (Herut) rather emphasizes the negative significance of the Durban conference anti-Semitism. He told Arutz-7 today, \"Every pogrom and even the Holocaust was preceded by some conference or political forum that paved the way for strong violence, and I fear that this one will not end only with words… I think that the Durban conference released the anti-Semitic demon from the bottle, as we see beatings of Jews in Paris, Nazi graffiti in Belgium, and the sale of \'Fuehrer Wine\' in Italy. Jews are often the last ones to see the writing on the wall, and they should not count on coming to Israel at the last minute… The time to come to Israel is now, and despite all, Israel is still the safest place for Jews.\"