B’nai Brith Canada recalls its delegation from Durban and calls on Canadian Government to withdraw as well

“Canada has no place at conference imbued with racism”

September 3, 2001

For Immediate Release

Following the decision by the United States and Israel to withdraw from the Durban World Conference Against Racism, B’nai Brith Canada has recalled its delegation and calls on the Canadian Government to reconsider its participation as well.

Rochelle Wilner, National President of B’nai Brith Canada, was reached for comment in Israel where she is currently meeting with Israel’s leadership, including Rabbi Melchior, who was originally to have led the Israeli delegation to the WCAR. “The crescendo of incitement to hatred and open antisemitism has mounted over the course of the NGO Forum and spilled over into the governmental conference. Canada should not be participating in a conference which has degenerated, under the very eyes of the organizers, into a forum where chants such as ‘Hilter should have finished the job’ are allowed. The Honourable Hedy Fry should come home.”

Frank Dimant, Executive Vice President, was equally appalled. “It is totally unacceptable that the United Nations has countenanced openly antisemitic attacks on Israel and on individual Jewish delegates in a conference under its aegis. Meanwhile, egregious human rights abuses and racist practices throughout the world, including the very Arab states which accuse Israel, are conveniently ignored. B'nai Brith Canada questions the constitutionality of our government's participation in a process that has been so tainted by racism.”

David Matas, Senior Legal Counsel for B’nai Brith Canada and Rapporteur of the Jewish caucus at Durban, announced B’nai Brith’s decision in Durban where he has been working to advance the anti-racist mandate of the WCAR at the same time as resisting attempts to politicize and highjack the conference to pursue an anti-Israel agenda. “The fight against racism will now have to concentrate on combatting the racist elements contained in the WCAR document. Regrettably, valuable components have been tainted by wild attempts to attack Israel to the exclusion of dealing with the many legitimate issues within the WCAR's mandate. Extremists have, in effect, sacrificed the fight against racism worldwide to their blind hatred against Israel and against Jews.”

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B’nai Brith has been active since 1875 as the country’s senior advocacy and volunteer agency.

For further comment contact David Matas, Senior Legal Counsel, B’nai Brith Canada, who can be reached in Durban at 0828588257 [from abroad 011 27-828588257]
or
Frank Dimant, Executive Vice President of B’nai Brith Canada, who can be reached in Jerusalem at
053 365 402 [from abroad 011 972 53 365 402]