| (WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today commented on the release of a revised “outcome document” for the United Nations Durban Review Conference on Racism (Durban II), to be held in April of 2009. The document reaffirms the entire original Declaration and Program of Action of the first Durban Conference, which was an anti-Semitic hate-filled event. This proposed text singles out Israel for criticism while ignoring those who propagate racism and intolerance, while also aiming to restrict freedom of expression in the name of preventing “Islamophobia.” Ros-Lehtinen has urged the U.S. to refrain from attending from Durban II, proposed legislation to prevent U.S. funds from being used in any way to support that conference, and held a meeting in June with foreign diplomats, State Department officials, Members of Congress, human rights groups and other non-governmental organizations to discuss an alternative forum to combat discrimination and intolerance. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
“Some at the UN are again trying to prevent Israel from defending itself against Islamist militants that seek to destroy it. It is Hamas which has brought misery and suffering to the Palestinian people through its ongoing rocket and missile attacks against Israel. Yet, it appears the UN is again choosing to ignore the destructive actions by Hamas and other violent Islamist extremists while seeking to castigate Israel.
"To reclaim its credibility, the UN must not repeat the mistakes it committed during the summer of 2006, when it legitimized and emboldened Hezbollah and its sponsors, Iran and Syria.
"The United States and other responsible nations must take a stand against the forces of hatred and intolerance who target democratic nations like Israel. We must hold Hamas and its state sponsors accountable and compel them to immediately and unconditionally stop their deplorable behavior which threatens Israel, as well as regional and global peace and security.”
NOTE: Ros-Lehtinen has spoken this week with White House and State Department officials and is scheduled to meet on Wednesday with the Israeli Ambassador to the U.S.
######
|
