UN antisemitism conference cancelled

BY HARRY SIMONS

Campaign Against Antisemitism has welcomed the postponement of the United Nations conference on antisemitism scheduled to take place Spain this week.

The conference was organised to unveil the UN Action Plan on Monitoring Antisemitism and Enhancing a System-wide Response. It has been postponed until September. No date has been set.

It is understood that Miguel Moratinos, High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilisations, Moratinos did not consult with the Israeli mission to the UN or Israeli Foreign Ministry.

There was also no invitation to the conference to the Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon.

A CAA spokesperson said: “When it comes down to it, the UN plan really has only one primary purpose, to stand with the Jewish people by adopting the International Definition of Antisemitism, alone, in full and without caveat. If the UN is unable to do that, there is no point in yet another conference and report that will serve only to muddy the waters and undermine the fight against the world’s oldest hatred. The UN’s reputation in the Jewish world depends on what it does next.”

The postponement followed concerns at the Israeli mission to the UN and Jewish organisations regarding a draft plan which reportedly treats equally the IHRA definition, Jerusalem declaration and Nexus document.

The IHRA definition has support of Jewish communities around the world and the State of Israel, has been adopted by national governments, multinationals, provincial and local governments, and public bodies around the world.

CAA has labelled the Jerusalem Declaration a ‘wrecking document’ to undermine the IHRA definition and Nexus document, and create space for far-left antisemitic expressions.

CAA and Jewish organisations called for the UN to the adopt of the definition.

The draft plan calls on UN member states to formulate an acceptable definition, despite member state Jewish communal support globally.