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Zionism Issue Could Derail UN Racism Conference

Lisa Schlein, Voice of America
July 27, 2001

The United Nations top human rights official warns that efforts to equate Zionism with racism could derail next month's World Conference On Racism in Durban, South Africa. At a news conference in Geneva, Mary Robinson told journalists the issue of Zionism should not be put on the conference agenda.

Mary Robinson says nations should focus on contemporary problems of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. She says they should steer away from old, emotive issues such as Zionism as racism, which could lead to a breakup of the next month's Durban World Conference on Racism.

"It is not appropriate in our preparation for Durban to re-open the issue of Zionism as racism," Ms. Robinson said. It was dealt with by the United Nations in 1991 and it is singularly inappropriate to re-open it in the context of a conference, which seeks to address the scourges of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance."

Arab and Asian states want the document to include language branding Zionism, the movement that led to the creation of Israel, as a form of racism. They have proposed a draft declaration that equates Israel's treatment of the Palestinians with the Nazi Holocaust of World War II in which six million Jews were killed.

The dispute about Zionism goes back to a 1975 U.N. resolution that equated it with racism. The resolution was repealed 10 years ago.

The United States has threatened to boycott the Durban Racism Conference if the issue of Zionism appears on the agenda.

Ms. Robinson says she told Palestinian Leader, Yasser Arafat that the conference would fail if there was any attempt to revive the idea of Zionism as racism. "To re-open an issue which, as it would be seen, would undoubtedly cause hurt, cause a very deep sense of dismay would be inappropriate," she said.

Another contentious issue concerns proposed reparations for slavery and colonialism. Many African countries are calling for financial compensation for the alleged harm done them by former slave states and colonial rulers. The United States, Canada and the European Union oppose a financial settlement, fearing this could expose them to huge lawsuits.

Negotiators begin a final two week push on Monday to prepare a draft text, which will be submitted to the Durban conference.

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