Losing Durban
Congress vs. Arafat,. Helms retiring.
JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent
Washington
arring a last-minute about-
face, an international forum
on racism opening in
Durban, South Africa, on
Friday will be devoted largely to politi-
cal attacks on Israel.
An all-out diplomatic effort by
Washington failed to turn aside a bid
by Arab and Muslem countries to use
the World Conference Against
Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
to undercut the legitimacy of the
Jewish state.
As a result, the State Department
this week announced that Secretary of
State Colin Powell will not attend.
Late Tuesday, sources said the adminis-
tration would send a mid-level official,
E. Michael Southwick, the deputy
assistant secretary of state for interna-
tional organization affairs.
The unchanged anti-Israel tone was
evident on Monday, when the Arab
Lawyers Union, an Egypt-based group,
distributed two virulently anti-Semitic
pamphlets to delegates to the non-
governmental organization portion of
the conference. One was a collection
of more than 80 cartoons featuring
images such as swastikas superimposed
on Stars of David.
"The distribution of blatant, despi-
cable hate material at an international
conference designed to combat racism
and promote tolerance is an outrage
that should not be tolerated for one
moment," said David A. Harris, exec-
utive director of the American Jewish
Committee. Harris said his group will
have no official representation at the
conference.
Some Jewish groups praised Powell's
decision to stay home; African
American leaders blasted it, although
many also expressed understanding of
Jewish concerns about the conference.
"There is understandable disap-
pointment and frustration in the
African American community that
Powell is not going," said Mark
Pelavin, associate director of the
Religious Action Center of Reform
Judaism. "We share it; it was our view
that on balance, it would have been
8/31
2001
22
better for the Secretary to go and con-
tinue the fight in Durban." But
Pelavin said that Jewish activism on
the Durban issue and Powell's decision
not to go "will not be an irritant in
black-Jewish relations."
Daniel Mariaschin, executive vice-
president of B'nai B'rith, praised the
administration's efforts. "From the
beginning, they worked closely with
the Jewish community," he said.
"They made it clear throughout the
entire process that this is a conference
that should not be politicized."
Mariaschin said that Bush's statement
last week "that the conference should-
n't 'pick on Israel' couldn't have been
clearer."
Still, the U.S. effort failed, he said.
"As so often happens in the U.N. sys-
tem, there was pressure on countries
for silence and passivity in the face of
Arab pressure," he said.
Anti-American animus was also part
of the problem, he said — as was
U.N. High Commissioner for Human
Rights Mary Robinson, the overall
head of the Durban conference, who
equated the Holocaust to Israel's treat-
ment of the Palestinians in a recent
statement.
"Her statement broadcast to all of
the world that there wasn't really a
desire to fix this problem," he said.
Mariaschin and others downplayed
the likely long-term impact of the
Durban fiasco — largely because it
may be seen as just "a transparent
effort to delegitimize Israel; many
countries will see it for what it was."
But an Israeli official said that the
effort to hijack the Durban conference
was "mostly successful. It means that
the Palestinians and their friends will
be encouraged to use every single
international forum to wage this new
kind of war against us."
On Monday, Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs Rabbi Michael
Melchior, Israel's point man in the
Durban fight, told Jewish leaders here
that Israel will not send a delegation to
a conference that has been turned into
a "farce."
Congress vs. Arafat
When members of Congress return
from their August recess next week,
The five-term lawmaker, who in 1982
many will try to turn up the heat on
suggested breaking diplomatic ties
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat a few
with Israel after the invasion of
more degrees.
Lebanon, became an ardent admirer of
Last month, the House passed a for-
hard-line pro-Israel causes in recent
eign operations bill that included an
amendment promising diplomatic
years.
Some pro-Israel activists say the
sanctions unless the Palestinian
importance of Helms' conversion to
Authority reins in violence. In the next
the pro-Israel cause was primarily that
two weeks, a similar amendment will
it removed a powerful
be tacked on to the Senate
opponent, not that it cre-
version by Sen. Mitch
ated a helpful friend.
McConnell, R-Ky., and
That impact was multi-
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-
plied in 1995 when
Calif.
Helms became chair of
The Bush administration
the Senate Foreign
is lobbying against the
Relations Committee.
measure, which it claims
His pro-Israel conver-
would handcuff its Mideast
sion did nothing to make
policymaking, but it hasn't
him popular with liberal
been lobbying hard, thanks
Jewish groups.
to a congressional liaison
"His tremendously
office that is not fully
powerful leadership role
staffed.
Sen. Jesse Helms
with the pro-school
Americans for Peace
prayer and anti-abortion
Now is calling for lawmak-
movements are wildly in contrast to
ers to reject the measure.
the positions of a majority of Jews,"
"It's counterproductive to America's
said David Harris, associate director of
and Israel's interests," said assistant
the National Jewish Democratic
executive director Lewis Roth. "By
Council, a partisan group.
focusing only on one side, it will make
"He's introduced constitutional
U.S. standing in the region even
amendments on school prayer at the
shakier than it is now." But most
beginning of every session; the school
major Jewish groups are actively sup-
prayer movement will be profoundly
porting the measure, and it has strong
disheartened by his departure."
bipartisan backing in Congress.
Helms also regularly introduced leg-
Also expected to move front-and-
islation that would cut off government
center on the congressional schedule is
education aid to school districts seen
a measure by Rep. Eric Cantor, D-Va.,
as discriminating against religion. If
that would penalize the Palestinian
passed, liberal Jewish leaders say it
Authority if it continues what Jewish
would intimidate school officials into
leaders say is the systematic destruc-
allowing a wide range of questionable
tion of Jewish artifacts on Jerusalem's
religious activities.
Temple Mount.
Helms has also resisted the hate
The Temple Mount Preservation
crimes legislation favored by a number
Act, which Cantor said would cut off
of Jewish groups.
aid to the Palestinians until "all unau-
But some conservative Jewish
thorized excavations of the Temple
activists bemoaned his decision to
Mount stop," has been picking up
retire.
bipartisan support.
Rabbi Daniel Lapin, founder and
president of Toward Tradition, called
Helms Retiring
Helms "fearless" and praised the law-
maker for his successful amendment
Liberal Jewish groups will lose the sen-
cutting off federal funds to any school
ator they love to hate in 2003 when
district that "that tries to punish the
Jesse Helms rides off into the North
Scouts for standing fast on the gay
Carolina sunset.
issue by refusing them the use of pub-
Pro-Israel groups may have a differ-
lic facilities. That's courage, and it will
ent take on Helms impending retire-
be greatly missed." El
ment, which he announced last week.