The leader of a Messianic Jewish ministry is encouraged that President Obama has decided not to attend a supposed "anti-racism" conference at the U.N. that begins in Geneva today. Jan Markell is concerned that the real focus of the event appears to be Israel-bashing.
The Jerusalem Post reported last week that when it comes to singling out Israel, the newest version of the draft text for the conference is even worse than the previous one. Israel's ambassador to the United Nations says it includes a reference to "foreign occupation" -- which in the diplomatic world is a code word for Israel. Israel, Canada, Italy, and the U.S have stated they will not attend the conference over concerns about a possible repeat of verbal attacks on Israel that marred the first such meeting in Durban, South Africa, eight years ago. (See related news video) Markell, founder and director of Olive Tree Ministries, remembers that conference. "That's when the U.S. and Israel walked out midway through the 2001 conference over a draft resolution that singled-out Israel for criticism and likened Zionism, the movement to establish and maintain the Jewish state, to racism," she recalls. Markell says she is glad that despite repeated pleas from U.N. organizers, President Obama has decided not to attend Durban II. "This is the right thing to do," she states. "I can't imagine any kind of a nation with a righteous population -- even a small percentage of righteous population -- participating in this event. Its history is evil and corrupt, and the one forthcoming will be evil and corrupt [as well]." Markell says she wonders about the timing of this year's event, which will take place during Israel's annual Yom HaShoah -- the day to remember the six-million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
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