Thread by @HillelNeuer

Italy right pulled out of Durban III.

"We asked for the text to recognize that past references to the situation of the Middle East are not part of the international commitment against racial discrimination. However, this was not accepted..."

Italy should pull out of Durban IV.

🇮🇹 Foreign Minister of Italy, 2011: "For some time now we have had some reserves over the exercise known in the UN sphere as the “Durban Process”, because over the years it has been instrumentalized in political terms."

esteri.it/mae/en/sala_st…

"The Process has been transformed from a forum for debate on and coordination of international action against racism, discrimination and xenophobia, into a tribunal for accusations against Israel."

"It was for this reason more than any other that we decided not to take part in 2009 in the “Durban II” Review Conference. And it was for that same reason that Italy, along with other Western and European Union countries, voted against convening the event..."

"...celebrating the 10th anniversary of Durban. This is scheduled to take pace on 22 September 2011 in New York, at Heads of State and Government level.

In the negotiations under way in recent weeks in New York on the content and organisation of September’s event..."

"...we therefore took steps, with the EU partners whose thinking reflects ours in this respect, to seek to avoid the shift of emphasis that took place in the conferences of 2001 and 2009. I recall the address by the Iranian President, Ahmadinejad, on that latter occasion..."

"...in which, inter alia, he legitimized Holocaust denial theories. For this reason, we asked for the final document to explicitly recognize that past references, in the context of the Durban Process, to the specific situation of the Middle East are..."

"...not part of the international commitment against racial discrimination. We feel that any axiomatic linkage between racism and Israel’s defence of its right to exist as a state is unacceptable."

"Unfortunately, however, just some weeks before the forthcoming event, I have to say that this request was not accepted. In these circumstances, I feel that the minimum conditions for Italy to take part in the commemoration on 22 September are not in place."

"Italy reiterates it commitment to combat racism and all forms of intolerance and discrimination. We continue to view international cooperation in this sector as one of the key instruments to improve the protection and promotion of human rights throughout the world."

For more about Durban IV and its history:
unwatch.org/durban-4/