Labor must not walk away from moral leadership at the UN 

Julie Bishop, Deputy Leader of the Opposition 
17 August 2011 
Sydney Morning Herald
– HYPERLINK http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/blogs/the-bishops-gambit/labor-must-not-walk-away-from-moral-leadership-at-the-un-20110817-1iwsk.html http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/blogs/the-bishops-gambit/labor-must-not-walk-away-from-moral-leadership-at-the-un-20110817-1iwsk.html


 There is no excuse for the Federal Labor government to delay an announcement that Australia will boycott the upcoming Durban III conference in New York.
This is the third time that this event, officially titled the United Nations World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, has been held since the inaugural conference at Durban in South Africa in 2001.
The first conference was mired in controversy and ended in acrimony as Australia along with other countries including the United States walked out in protest at the overt anti-Semitism.
In 2009, the Coalition repeatedly called on then prime minister Kevin Rudd to announce Australia's early withdrawal from the Durban II conference in Geneva, due to legitimate concerns about a repeat of the anti-Semitic sentiment that marred the first conference.
Libya, Cuba and Iran led the development of the conference agenda, which included a draft declaration charging Israel, alone among the nations of the world, with racism.
While the draft document was toned down, the only world leader to take the stage at Durban II was Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who gave his trademark speech attacking Israel.
Australia did ultimately boycott that event but announced its withdrawal only hours before the conference began, which was too late for a delegation of Australian human rights representatives who had already travelled to Geneva.
This put the Australian delegation in the difficult position of attending a conference boycotted by the Australian government.
Durban III is ostensibly to be a commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the first conference, yet it appears to be on track to repeat its failures.
President Ahmadinejad has already confirmed that he will be one of the keynote speakers, reportedly signing up for a 30 minute speaking slot. His past performances at the United Nations provide no shortage of material as to what can be expected from him.
The United States, Canada and Israel announced weeks ago that they will not be attending Durban III.
The Czech Republic was the first European country to announce its boycott in late July and since then Italy and The Netherlands have also confirmed they will not attend.
Surely the Labor government does not intend to give any legitimacy to this discredited conference by attending?
Therefore there can no valid reason for Labor to delay an announcement that Australia will also boycott this conference.
This is not the only controversial issue at the United Nations next month involving Israel.
A vote is scheduled to be held on the issue of a unilateral declaration to create a Palestinian state.
There has been long-standing bipartisan support in Australia for the two-state solution, recognising the right of the Israeli people and the Palestinian people to live peacefully within internationally recognised borders.
There is international concern that a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood will undermine rather than resolve the Israel-Palestinian peace process.
One of the reported goals of the UN vote on Palestinian statehood is to demonstrate the extent of Israel's international isolation.
US President Obama said on 19 May this year:   For the Palestinians, efforts to de-legitimise Israel will end in failure. Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won't create an independent state. Palestine leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. And Palestinians will never realise their independence by denying the rights of Israel to exist.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle recently confirmed Germany's support for the two-state solution and said that the German government believes unilateral steps could be counter productive... we think negotiations are the right way.
There are also reports that 150 Italian parliamentarians have signed a statement arguing against the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state and recommitting to a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...
The concerns include that it would lead to the abandonment of the peace process, the collapse of treaties and negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and would violate the Oslo peace agreements.
There are concerns as to whether the unilateral declaration would lead to official international recognition of Hamas the governing authority in Gaza and in partnership with Fatah, but which is deemed a terrorist organisation in Canada, US, European countries and elsewhere.
Significant territorial disputes such as East Jerusalem are unresolved.
It is therefore critical for those nations that support Israel, including Australia to take a strong stand on this issue.
It was reported recently that Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd had written to the Prime Minister advising that Australia abstain from this UN vote but that the Prime Minister did not agree with his advice.
To avoid perceptions of a damaging public split between the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister on a significant foreign policy issue, the matter must be clarified.
Further, the decision about Australia's vote on this critical matter should not be influenced by the government's campaign for a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Providing any moral support for the vilification of Israel by failing to boycott Durban III or by abstaining from crucial votes at the UN would represent a failure of Australia's leadership.