Anti-Semitic Materials and Slogans Proliferate
	Anti-American Tone Permeates Conference
	NGO Forum Set to Reject Jewish Caucus Submission
	Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Condemns Treatment of Jewish Caucus
	Jesse Jackson Meets With Arafat

August 31, 2001, Durban —

Anti-Semitic Materials and Slogans Continue to Proliferate; Jewish Delegates Met With Chant: "Kill The Jews."

Pro-Palestinian South Africans, Arabs, and area Muslims marched in front of the conference center today with speakers saying, "What we have done to apartheid in South Africa, must be done to Zionism in Palestine."

The demonstration of about 1,500 made navigating the conference today difficult for Jewish delegates after one by-stander wearing a yarmulke was greeted by a spontaneous chant of, "kill the Jews."

Copies of the infamous anti-Semitic forgery, The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion were for sale, and signs included slogans such as "Hitler Should Have Finished the Job," "Israel a Terrorist State," "Sharon is a war criminal," "Zionism is racism" and "End Israeli Apartheid."

Local Muslim clerics have reportedly been hanging similar anti-Israel posters in neighboring townships. On an encouraging note, some Durban residents were organizing taxi-driver union members who work in the townships to take down the posters.

Anti-American Attitude at the Conference

Along with anti-Israel and anti-Semitic attacks, a strong anti-American attitudes are being expressed at the conference. This photo was taken at one of the meetings held in the run-up to the conference.

NGO Forum Set to Reject Jewish Caucus Submission

The Jewish Caucus, representing dozens of Jewish non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world, learned that its submission on language to the final declaration was challenged by a group of delegates which include Arab NGO leaders, including Israeli-born professor Uri Davis. Davis is the author of the vehemently anti-Israel book, "Israel, An Apartheid State," and serves as an Observer Member of the Palestine National Council.

As the final declaration will be ratified on the Jewish Sabbath, as of this writing, the Jewish caucus was reaching out to find a delegation to read a statement from the caucus condemning the process and the final document.

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Condemns Treatment of Jewish Caucus

Speaking a news conference, Wade Henderson, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the largest civil rights umbrella agency in the U.S., called for civility at the conference and specifically condemned the inequitable treatment of the Jewish caucus and the offensive language being raised in the debate at the forum.

Jackson Meets with Arafat

On opening day of the U.N. World Conference, there were reports that Yasir Arafat, the Palestinian leader, had made a promise to civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson that he would reject the "Zionism is racism" charge that has dominated the preliminary documents of the conference. The Associated Press reported that Arafat told Rev. Jackson he would support language condemning the Holocaust and recognizing anti-Semitism.

AP's story did not refer specifically to which language Arafat said will be removed and did not relate to the numerous condemnations of Israel embedded in the document to date.

At the same time, Reuters quoted Arafat during an address to world leaders accusing Israel of being a "racist" state, guilty of "ethnic cleansing."