NETHERLANDS LATEST COUNTRY TO BOYCOTT UN ANTI-RACISM CONFERENCE

When the third largest political party in your nation is in all respects an anti-Muslim hate group, no one should be surprised that you have issues with an anti-racism meeting. Pardon us for being cynical, but even if there is a genuine concern over the 10th anniversary of the Durban Declaration, the land of Geert Wilders and his Partij voor de Vrijheid (Party for Freedom) doesn’t allow us to be anything but.

NIS News Bulletin

THE HAGUE, 23/07/11 – The Netherlands will not be present in New York on 22 September at the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Durban Declaration. Italy and the Czech Republic are also boycotting the conference because some countries use it for anti-Israeli propaganda.

In the South African city of Durban in 2001, it was agreed to combat worldwide racism, xenophobia and discrimination. The Netherlands, Italy and the Czech Republic wanted to include in the final statement of the meeting in September “that all participating states emphatically distance themselves from the linking of subjects that have nothing to do with the fight against racism,” but “because it is not possible to get such a guarantee, the three countries now see themselves forced to no longer participate in the preparations for the celebration, and also not to attend it, ” the foreign affairs ministry said Friday.

“A number of countries have in the past continually put the peace process in the Middle East in the centre of the discussions on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, along with which denying Israel’s right to exist,” according to the ministry. Although they are boycotting the conference, “the Netherlands will of course continue to make active efforts to combat racism, xenophobia and discrimination in more productive ways.”