South Africa withdraws request to host 'Durban 2' conference 

By mailto:barakravid80@gmail.com Barak Ravid
May 1, 2008
Haaretz 
Original Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/979844.html

South Africa has withdrawn its bid to host the United Nations conference on human rights and racism, Haaretz has learned. 

A Jerusalem source said that the conference is likely to take place in a European capital in the spring of 2009. 

South Africa hosted the first Durban conference in the summer of 2001 under the auspices of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. It was titled The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, but most of the discussions revolved around Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. 

A Foreign Ministry official said the reason for South Africa's backpedaling is unclear, as only a few months ago President Thabo Mbeki said his country wishes to host the conference. 

The fact that 'Durban 2' won't be in Durban makes it lose its political edge, the source said. 

About a month ago Haaretz reported that Israel and the U.S. decided to boycott the conference, following an assessment by the Foreign Ministry, and other Western governments, that it will be impossible to prevent the conference from turning into a festival of anti-Israeli attacks.