Thursday 23 August 2007

European Parliament to host controversial anti-Israeli conference

The European Parliament will be hosting later this month a highly controversial conference under the auspices of a UN committee for Palestinian rights. All pointers indicate that the conference will turn into a platform for the demonisation of Israel.

The leader of the Conservative group in the European Parliament, Timothy Kirkhope, as reported by The San Diego, indicated that he is concerned that the Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organisation by the European Union might be represented at the conference. "'I am always very nervous when I hear of these conferences ... I do not like them, particularly if they are sponsored by a narrow political pressure group,' he said."

UN Watch asks:

"Who was behind the European Parliament's decision to play host to this poorly disguised hate-fest? With the conference façade removed, who in Europe will now have the courage to speak out?"

The Jerusalem Post leader reports that Polish MEPs have condemned the initiative:

"Polish members of the European Parliament deserve credit for showing the way by announcing their refusal to participate in the Brussels conference. As Bronislaw Geremek, a Polish MEP, was quoted as saying by the web site Europa21: "Although there is no official statement that Israel must be pushed down to the sea there, the choice of subjects ... shows that it will be a biased, conflict generating conference. Actually we can call it anti-Israeli." MEP Konrad Szymanski stated, "I am astonished that the European Parliament allowed such activity in its building."

This is a time when UN and European claims to be honest brokers and even friends of Israel will be put to the test. It is not possible to press for peace and to sponsor and participate in the fomenting of hate. It is not enough to retroactively express "regret" at outcomes that were foregone conclusions. The time to stop Durban II is now."

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070813-0601-eu-palestinians-israel.html
http://www.unwatch.org/site/c.bdKKISNqEmG/b.1317481/k.96E7/View_From_Geneva/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1187779137328&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

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