Germany accepts Israeli position: will boycott UN anti-racism conference

[King_David]

The German Foreign Ministry announced Friday it will not attend anti-racism conference in New York this fall. The decision was explained as “an expression of our special responsibility for Israel."


Germany is to boycott a UN anti-racism conference in New York later this month because of anti-Semitic abuse at previous rounds of the event, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle's Berlin office announced Friday.

Israel has asked friendly nations to stay away from the September 22 event, which commemorates a UN meeting 10 years ago in Durban, South Africa. Germany's national Jewish body, the Central Council of Jews, also asked Germany not to attend.

"Unfortunately we cannot rule it out that the meeting in New York will be abused for anti-Semitic statements as has happened at past conferences," said Westerwelle, who was in Sopot, Poland on Friday for a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

"This is an expression of our special responsibility for Israel," added the statement, referring to Germany's moral obligation to make up for the Holocaust by going out of its way to support Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/germany-accepts-israeli-position-will-boycott-un-anti-racism-conference-1.382280

[jimmie]

1. Has it been a year already??

those UN anti-racism conference's are so much fun....to ignore.

[azurnoir]

2. Interesting Germany wanted to facilitate change from within the conference

but Israel by its actions seems to prefer the conference remain just as it is, one can only wonder why

[oberliner]

3. "Germany's national Jewish body, the Central Council of Jews, also asked Germany not to attend."

Did you miss that part?

Those are German citizens, not the Israeli government.

One can only wonder why you dismiss their feelings on the subject...

[azurnoir]

5. however you may well note I did not say Israeli govenment but do note that Germany did this

out of its responsibility to Israel, not its responsibility to German Jews

[oberliner]

6. You and Guido Westerwelle

Perhaps not everyone agrees.

[azurnoir]

7. well obviously you do not however reread the snip posted

it says quite plainly that Israel requested that 'friendly' nations boycott the conference and albeit Israel's request was made sometime ago Germany took it seriously enough to withdraw because of its "special responsibility for Israel"

[oberliner]

8. Maybe you should re-read it

You are simply quoting Guido Westerwelle.

[azurnoir]

10. perhaps you should read the OP title it states the case quite well IMO

the man quoted was Germany's FM I would think that would give him some credibility I see my comment has touched some nerves lol

[oberliner]

11. Ha'aretz has changed the title since you posted the OP

It now reads:

Germany to boycott UN anti-racism conference

Wonder what caused them to make the change?

[azurnoir]

12. Haaretz changes its title quite often as you well know

or at least should funny you would insinuate something extraordinary about this case

[oberliner]

13. You brought up the significance of the title

The title is now not what it was initially.

Maybe it wasn't all that significant?

[azurnoir]

14. Israel askedfriendly nations not to attend you seemed to forget the articles content

from the article

Israel has asked friendly nations to stay away from the September 22 event, which commemorates a UN meeting 10 years ago in Durban, South Africa. Germany's national Jewish body, the Central Council of Jews, also asked Germany not to attend.

so at best it was both Israel and Germany's 'Central Council of Jews' that asked

[King_David]

4. Israel runs Germany now ?

;)

[shira]

9. Nations attempting to fascilitate change didn't work out for the last 2 conferences, did it? n/t