Why Can't The US Talk Straight About Durban II (Updated)

There is no escape from Durban II — at least with our vital principles intact.
Anne Bayefsky

Anne Bayefsky has noted that what the US has been saying about its participation in Durban II does not correlate well with the reality:

On Monday, President Obama's decision to wander into the Durban II sinkhole also raised concerns in the Jewish community. In deciding to attend the planning session, Obama had ignored the direct plea from Israel's Foreign Minister to stay away, along with Israel and Canada. Instead, on Monday the President sent reassuring messages via phone calls from senior White House and State Department officials.

According to reports, these officials claimed "that Washington's decision to participate in the conference was being coordinated with the Israeli government." That would be true — if "coordination" meant announcing hours in advance that the United States intended to do the opposite of what had been requested.

Jewish leaders were also told that the U.S. presence was "an effort to change the direction of the conference." Apparently, someone in the administration forgot to read the map. The conference objectives have already been unanimously agreed to by all participants, including the European Union. Objective number one is to "foster the implementation of the Durban Declaration" — the same one that claims Israelis are racists, in fact, the only racists U.N. member states could recall. Those directions aren't going to be changed. On the contrary, the opening words of the Durban II document — also already accepted by consensus — read "reaffirming the Durban Declaration." Change you can't believe in, again. [emphasis added]

In her article for Forbes, Bayesky finds more obfuscation:

The Obama administration's decision to join the planning of the U.N.'s Durban II "anti-racism" conference has just taken a new twist: cover-up. On Friday, State Department officials and a member of the American Durban II delegation claimed the United States had worked actively to oppose efforts to brand Israel as racist in the committee drafting a Durban II declaration. The trouble is that they didn't.

The Feb. 20 State Department press release says the U.S. delegation in Geneva "outline[d] our concerns with the current outcome document" and in particular "our strong reservations about the direction of the conference, as the draft document singles out Israel for criticism." One member of the delegation told The Washington Post: "The administration is pushing back against efforts to brand Israel as racist in this conference." In fact, tucked away in a Geneva hall with few observers, the U.S. had done just the opposite. The U.S. delegates had made no objection to a new proposal to nail Israel in an anti-racism manifesto that makes no other country-specific claims.

Here is an example of the US putting its foot down at the Durban conference--if this is typical of what the US is doing there, both Israel and the US are in big trouble:

Here is how the American delegates responded to a proposal they understood was incompatible with U.S. interests (“Brackets” denote withholding approval at any given moment in time.): “I hate to be the cause of unhappiness in the room . . . I have to suggest this phrase remains in brackets and I offer my sincere apologies.” [emphasis added]

Oh, brother...we are in for a bad case of Durban Renewal.

UPDATE: Meanwhile, not everyone is following the US example:

Britain and Italy could join Canada and Israel in refusing to attend the Durban II Review Conference in April unless they receive cast-iron guarantees that it will not turn into an antisemitic, anti-Israel arena of hate.

--And The US itself still fails to inspire confidence at Durban II:

In the last week, the Palestinians tried to introduce language into the document regarding the 2004 advisory ruling by the International Court of Justice at The Hague against the security barrier, said Leshno Yaar.

The Americans were present but did not appear to have made improvement in the document, which he said "is getting worse every day."

The current outlook for Durban II is bleak:

"As far as we believe, Durban II is going to be the anti-Semitic event of 2009," said Amos Hermon, the head of the task force. "It looks worse than we expected, even though it's not yet clear what the end result will be."

The meeting also broached the possibility of demonstrations, the use of Holocaust imagery to draw comparisons between Israel's recent military strike in Gaza and the systematic murder of millions during World War II and an all-out "hate-fest" on behalf of anti-Israel NGO's present at the conference.

If US participation is supposed to prevent this sort of exploitation, now would be a good time to prove it.

Technorati Tag: Durban.

Nachum Segal Interviews Malcolm Hoenlein 2/20/09

On Friday's, Nachum Segal interviews Malcolm Hoenlein:

Nachum interviewed Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, who called in live from Jerusalem for the latest Weekly Update. Nachum and Malcolm began by discussing the upcoming Durbin Conference and how President Obama might be able to have an impact on the event. They then spoke at length about the current efforts to form the Government of Israel. Nachum asked Malcolm to address various details of the process to clarify what will be going on over the upcoming days. They covered several other important issues including: Dubai's denial of a visa for Shahar Peer, the 48th-ranked women's tennis player in the world, to the Dubai Tennis Championship, the status of Gilad Shalit's return, statements made regarding a Palestinian unity government, Senator Kerry's visit to Israel, and much more. Click the link to listen.

Technorati Tag: Israel.

One Jerusalem--End of Week Review: February 22, 2009

From an email from One Jerusalem:

End of Week Review: February 22, 2009

Dear Friend of Jerusalem,

Here are the latest headlines from the One Jerusalem Blog:

● Netanyahu To Form Next Israeli Government: The minor bit of suspense that accompanied the results of Israel's national elections has come to an end. Israel's President has formally asked former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to create a majority coalition to form the next government.Netanyahu will lead... (read more)

● Israel Bashing At The Kennedy Center: Arab oil money and the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts are sponsoring "Arts of the Arab World."Lorin Maazel, the conductor who brought the New York Philharmonic to North Korea, and the Master Musicians of Jajouka are set to... (read more)

● Israel's Elections: Middle East Forum Interview: Middle East Forum interviews yours truly on the results of the Israeli elections: Written summary and link to audio.... (read more)

● Obama's Team Starts Talking to Anti-Israel Terrorists And...: What a sad day for America and oppressed people the world over. Today, President Obama's foreign policy team began implementing their new, talk oriented foreign policy.Anne Bayefsky reports, that the Obama team began talks with the UN organizers of the... (read more)

● Why The Left (Livni) Lost Israel's Elections: Today, Tzipi Livni, the leader of Kadima, told American Jewish leaders that Israel would have to give up "half of the Land of Israel."If Livni had her way, half of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Golan would go from... (read more)

● Obama Team Engages Anti-Semites: For months, One Jerusalem has expressed concern about several of President Obama's foreign policy advisers.The first set of foreign policy initiatives by the Obama Administration appear to confirm our worst fears. President Obama made the President of the Palestinian Authority... (read more)

The One Jerusalem Team

Technorati Tag: Israel and Jerusalem.

Just In: Blogging Is Good For Your Brain!

From Just One Minute: Blog For Your Brain:

Great news from the world of medicine:

Participating in certain mental activities, like reading magazines or crafting in middle age or later in life, may delay or prevent memory loss, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 to May 2, 2009.

...The study found that during later years, reading books, playing games, participating in computer activities and doing craft activities such as pottery or quilting led to a 30 to 50 percent decrease in the risk of developing memory loss compared to people who did not do those activities. People who watched television for less than seven hours a day in later years were 50 percent less likely to develop memory loss than people who watched for more than seven hours a day.

People who participated in social activities and read magazines during middle age were about 40 percent less likely to develop memory loss than those who did not do those activities.

There you go - reading, computer activities, socializing - clearly this is all about blogs. 

This really is great news--but I still want to know: if blogging is so good for my memory, why do I forget to go to bed. I'm not asking for myself--my wife needs to know.

Technorati Tag: Blogging and Memory.

Obama Publicly Endorses Netanyahu-Lieberman Right Wing Coalition!

No of course not, silly. That would not be the way to peace. This is the way to peace:

The Obama administration has given the Palestinian Authority a "green light" to talk to Hamas about forming a Palestinian unity government, a PA official in Ramallah said over the weekend.

The official said that Washington had also given Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak the go-ahead to resume his efforts to achieve reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.

"The new administration has a different policy than that of [former US president] George W. Bush," the official told The Jerusalem Post. "The administration of President Barack Obama believes that a Hamas-Fatah government is good for stability." [emphasis added]

In an ironic twist, the US is apparently hoping that past performance is not a guarantee of future results, because stability has not exactly been the hallmark of either terrorist group--separately or together.

Other absurdities in this story:

Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri said that for the talks to succeed, the PA must first release all "political prisoners" from its West Bank jails.

Yeah, this from the same terrorists holding Gilad Shalit. Maybe Abbas will demand the release of all of the bodies of the members of Fatah murdered by Hamas--you know, in the interests of stability.

Another Fatah official, Ibrahim Abu al-Naja, said the fact that Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu has been tasked with forming the next government "proves that Israeli public opinion favors war and destruction."

Right--and the willingness of Abbas, who has refused to recognize Israel as a Jewish state--his teaming up with the terrorist group bombing Israel proves what, exactly?

Meanwhile, Hamas leaders said over the weekend that Democratic Sen. John Kerry's visit to the Gaza Strip last Thursday signaled a change in US policy toward their movement.

"The visit is a move in the right direction," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said. "We consider the visit as an indirect step aimed at ending the boycott of Hamas by the Americans and the international community."

And why shouldn't they? By supporting Hamas in this way, the US government has completely undermined any benefit that may have come out of Operation Cast Lead to lead to a phasing out of Hamas.

Welcoming the apparent shift in US policy, the Hamas spokesman expressed hope that the Obama administration would "repair" the damage and injustice done to Hamas after it won the January 2006 election, when the Bush administration decided to boycott and impose sanctions on it.

I guess Hamas can think of this as their second coup.

You really have to hand it to Obama--he said he would not negotiate with Hamas: and he doesn't have to. All he needs do is get Hamas and Fatah back together again and claim that a new entity has been created: apparently terrorists, like tainted money, can be laundered.

The question is, what will come of these machinations of the US. Powerline has a post with commentary from Dan Diker of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs:

Senator John Kerry's visit late last week to Gaza and Syria was well received in Tehran. Their response was clear. Israel was hit with rockets from southern Lebanon and Gaza this weekend. Hizbullah denied involvement, but attacks from southern Lebanon do not take place without Hizbullah agreement and a green light from Iran's Supreme leadership. Hizbullah Deputy Secretary Sheik Naim Kassam made the point in an April 15 2007 interview with the Iranian Arabic language TV station al Qawthar.

Israeli Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh reminded us that American outreach is strengthening Hamas and further undermining PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on the Palestinian Street. Senior Fatah officials emphasized the point during my visit to Ramallah this past Friday. A Fatah official told me: "Fatah is not returning to Gaza, Hamas will massacre us."

American engagement of Hamas reflects a misunderstanding of Palestinian political culture. Palestinian unity is an illusion. Fatah and Hamas hate one another more than Palestinians reject Israel. They are playing a zero sum game for leadership of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas' Fatah torture sessions (videohere and here) make the point. But Washington's more conciliatory approach has forced Abbas (and Egypt) to honor Hamas and "beg" for national unity and a reconciliation government.

American pursuit of "real cooperation," as Kerry put it, with Syria's Bashar Assad -- Iran's key Arab ally, whom the United States believes is key to Hamas and Fatah unity -- is a victory for Iran and its proxies and undermines Washington's Arab allies in the region.

Perhaps the upside to Washington's engagement policy is that it will likely speed up the imminent collision between radical Islam and the West. The downside is that Israel, which the Arab and Muslim world see as Washington's democratic proxy in the Middle East, will be forced to pay a heavy price.

Imagine: this Hamas-Fatah coalition would only serve to weaken Abbas--just like the US support of the election that brought Hamas into power to begin with. Looks like Obama really is just following in Bush's footsteps. Also, keep in mind that this new Israel-Palestinian policy is brought to us by the same person who mocked the ability of the surge in Iraq to have an effect--and never acknowledged that he was wrong. 

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Technorati Tag: Israel and Gaza and Hamas and Obama.

But Don't Expect British Muslims To Be Accused Of Dual Loyalty

From The Telegraph:

British Muslims are providing the Taliban with electronic devices to make roadside bombs for use in attacks against British forces serving in southern Afghanistan, The Telegraph can disclose.

...When asked how the components had reached Afghanistan, the officer explained that they had either been sent from Britain, or physically brought to Afghanistan by British Muslims who had flown over.

The disclosure is the latest in a string of suggestions from British commanders about the connections between British Muslims and violence in Afghanistan.

In August, Brigadier Ed Butler, the former commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, told the Telegraph that there are "British passport holders" in the Taliban ranks. Other officers believe their soldiers have killed British Muslims fighting alongside the Taliban.

And last year, it was revealed that RAF Nimrod surveillance planes monitoring Taliban radio signals in Afghanistan had heard militants speaking with Yorkshire and Midlands accents

Obviously this is being done by a small group of British Muslims and is not indicative of the vast majority, but yet we see the UK--and Europe as a whole--jumping on the bandwagon of anti-Jewish hatred as Anti-Semitism jumps throughout that area.

[Hat tip: Andrew Stuttaford]

Technorati Tag: Anti-Semitism.

Can Livni Pass The Test?

David Hazony notes that Livni's decision on whether to join Netanyahu's coalition or take up a position as part of the opposition constitutes a test and an opportunity for Livni:

Opposition can be great for a party with a clear ideological or policy platform, or a strong tradition of governance that can attract voters dissatisfied with the government’s performance. But that’s not the case here. If Livni leads Kadima into the opposition, there’s a reasonable chance that the party, or at least Livni’s chairing of it, will not survive. With a major faction led by Shaul Mofaz already clamoring to join the government, Livni will need to face a party that may already be quite tired of her.

In being called upon by Peres to put together a coalition, Netanyahu is not the only one being tested, but he may be the only one thus far responding.

Technorati Tag: Israeli+Elections and Netanyahu and Livni.

At Least Hillary Did Not Kiss Him

Gordon G. Chang writes about Hillary Clinton's visit to China:

“It’s a bit chilly in Beijing,” said Yang Jiechi, “but I have confidence that you will see the biggest number of smiling faces here.” China’s foreign minister was not commenting on yesterday’s weather in friendly banter with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. His point was that China’s happy people were proof of the regime’s good human rights record.

Yang was lying, of course. But that’s not the point. Clinton knew he was lying, and that’s not the point either. The point is that Yang knew that Clinton knew he was lying but did not challenge him. The Chinese, in short, were putting forth their version of reality and Americans were accepting it. Minister Yang knew he had just humbled the United States. [emphasis added]

Thinking back, Hillary Clinton did not challenge Soha Arafat either. Remember when at a joint appearance years ago Soha Arafat claimed that Israel used poison gas against Palestinian children--and when Arafat was finished speaking Clinton gave her a kiss.

Apparently, that kiss created a change in Hillary Clinton's expressed attitude towards Israel. Just last month, the following was reported on NBC Nightly News:

On Friday’s NBC Nightly News, correspondent Andrea Mitchell filed a report that reminded viewers of an embarrassing political episode from Hillary Clinton’s past: the controversial hug and kiss she shared with Yasser Arafat’s wife, Suha, during a trip to the West Bank. The NBC correspondent related that Clinton had taken a position favoring a Palestinian state early on, but, after her controversial "embrace" with Mrs. Arafat, she became known for being "an unrelenting supporter of Israel," and argued that Mrs. Clinton’s popularity in the Arab world, and that of former President Clinton, would be an asset as Secretary of State.

Mitchell: "As first lady, Hillary Clinton was an early advocate of a Palestinian state until a misplaced embrace of Yasser Arafat's wife, Suha, backfired politically back home. From then on, Clinton was an unrelenting supporter of Israel but, experts say, is still well known and liked by Arab leaders."

The last politician I know of who was known to be pro-Arab and was supported by Palestinan Arabs before suddenly turning around and declaring himself a supporter of Israel--is Barack Obama.

Technorati Tag: Clinton and China and Soha Arafat and Yang Jiechi.

Haveil Havalim 205 - From Down Under --Is Up!

This week, Sarah's View is hosting Haveil Havalim 205 - From Down Under, with the usual wide variety of ecclectic posts from around the JBlogosphere.

For information about hosting, email Jack at talktojacknow-at-sbcglobal-dot-net. You can submit your post to the next edition of haveil havalim using the carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found at the blog carnival index page.
Listed at the Truth Laid Bear Ubercarnival.

Technorati Tags: Blog carnivals, haveil havalim, Israel, Judaism.

If You Want Someone To Bring Your Mail To Israel, Do Not Contact Senator Kerry

Last I heard, Senator Kerry will not be bringing mail to Israel on his next trip to the Middle East:

U.S. Sen. John Kerry has turned over to the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem a letter from Hamas to President Obama that Kerry had received during his trip to the Middle East, FOX News has learned.

Kerry spokesman Frederick Jones said the Democratic senator was not aware that the letter was from Hamas when he accepted it from a United Nations official, and only heard media reports of its origin, which prompted him to relinquish it.

I wonder what the reaction at the consulate was. Was their a heightened sense of risk or danger? And those are the ones that must be brought into the peace process.

Technorati Tag: John Kerry and Hamas.