...born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad

Canadian Arab Federation pimps, er, pumps for Durban II: Number 10 on the CAF’s list of issues identified as being crucial for Arab-Canadian voters—Canada’s refusal to participate in the upcoming Big Lie/Get Rid of Israel Conference, also known as Durban II:

10. Durban Review Conference 2009

The 2001 the World Conference against Racism was held in Durban South Africaunder UN auspices. It is a multinational effort to combat racism, racial

discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The USA and Israel withdrew from the 2001 conference in protest over steps taken to critique Israel 's treatment of the Palestinians in the text of the conference. Canada remained for the duration of the conference. In January 2008, Canada announced ahead of Israel that it would boycott the next UN racism conference in 2009 on the grounds that it would likely “degenerate into … expressions of intolerance and anti-Semitism". This position was supported by Canada 's two other main political parties, the Liberals and the New Democratic Party.

NCCAR and CAF are dumbfounded by this position from Canada's politicians. Such a forum is precisely the kind in which Canada must participate in order to express our principled adherence to universal standards, international law and human rights---whether such criticism apply to Israel or not--- and to challenge states from unduly singling out any particular nation. It is unprecedented that Canada would withdraw from multilateral fora in which we could sway other participants at the conference. Our withdrawal from this conference only serves to punish the Canadian people, preventing us from expressing our voice during this important debate.

Recommended Course of Action

· Canada should demonstrate its commitment to human rights and anti-racism

by implementing the Canada Plan against Racism.

· The Canadian government should ensure Canadian official and nongovernmental effective participation in the Durban Review Conference 2009.

Were I of the eliminationist persuasion, I, too, might be “dumbfounded.” But since I’m a wised-up Jew who knows that the UN in general and the UNHRC in particular are both morally and are taking their marching orders from the enemies of the West, I am not dumbfounded. No, I am proud. Proud that, alone among world leaders, my P.M. had the stones and the clarity to tell the bullies and idiots in the world community (who recently gave Iran’s Ahmandiejad a warm welcome when he dropped by to summon up Hitler’s ghost for the amusement of the General Assembly) to take a long hike off a short pier.

And let's be clear: the "universal standards, international law and human rights" to which Arab nations adhere are ones grounded in the "universalism" of sharia--Islamic--law.

Posted by: scaramouche at 21:05 | link | comments

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