Monday, November 24, 2008

A Palestinian action plan to combat Israeli racism

Adri Nieuwhof, The Electronic Intifada, 24 November 2008

"In October 2008 the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) published a strategic position paper for the upcoming Durban Review Conference, which will be held from 20-24 April 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland. At the Conference, attending nations will assess the progress made toward the Program of Action adopted at the 2001 World Conference against Racism, which called for end racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. However, Western governments have repeatedly sidelined efforts to bring the case of the systematic violation of the rights the Palestinian people forward in the Durban review process. It is incomprehensible how the issue of institutional racial discrimination of Palestinians by the Israeli government cannot be a topic in the UN global process to eliminate racial discrimination.

The BNC, representing over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations that united around the call for boycotts, divestment, and sanctions initiatives against Israel, is currently the sole unified voice for the Palestinian political parties, unions, associations, coalitions and organizations representing all Palestinians. In preparation for the conference, the BNC has developed a well-documented position paper that is firmly rooted in the language of international law. It presents an overview of practical measures undertaken by international civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and suggests recommendations to work jointly on an effective action program......

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni announced on 19 November that Israel will boycott the UN Durban Review Conference, stating that "The conference has nothing to do with fighting racism" and that Israel will "not legitimize the Durban II conference."....."

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