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Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Joel Pollak emails to alert us to the just-published diary of a participant in the infamous Durban anti-Racism Conference of 2001: The Durban Diaries [PDF]. I've just begun reading it. It pulls you in, and reminds us of just how bad it was. Will Switzerland be a replay?

...In parallel to the (de)gradation of this political debate, violence arose through personal confrontations. On the first day, we were offended by angry rhetoric at the Youth summit. The second day, we were accused of being murderers, «sucking the blood» of the Palestinians. The third day, people fixed our eyes and said: «We know who you are». The tone became increasingly personal. When walking, we began turning our heads to make sure nobody was following us. The fourth day, we were no longer walking alone in the stadium...

At the anti-Racism conference:

...A member of the Union of the Arab Lawyers offers a brochure to those who are bored queuing. The cover juxtaposes a swastika on the star of David. The notebook abounds in anti-Semitic caricatures. Jews with long hooked noses smile cruelly. Their serpent fangs are soaked in blood. They are depicted as sadists, obsessed by money. Their military uniforms are decorated with swastikas. And to perfect the picture, these judeo-nazis are pointing their rifles at terrified Palestinians.

Andrew cannot get over it. Those who are waiting in line casually flick through the pages, rather indifferently. Why is he the only one to react? On behalf of the organisation he runs in Geneva, UN Watch, he calls to cancel the accreditation of the Union of Arab Lawyers to the gathering, due to racist defamation. He sends his request at once to the steering group. A few hours later, an answer is given to him: «Sorry, we cannot do anything. This brochure is a political expression.»...

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