Hamilton Spectator
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused the West of using the Holocaust as a “pretext” for aggression against Palestinians, prompting walkouts yesterday by every European Union country at a UN conference on racism.
The meeting turned chaotic almost from the start when two protesters in rainbow wigs tossed red clown noses at Ahmadinejad as he began his speech with a Muslim prayer. A Jewish student group from France said it had been trying to convey “the masquerade that this conference represents.”
Ahmadinejad — the first government official to take the floor — restarted and delivered his speech for more than a half-hour, saying the U.S. and Europe had helped establish Israel after the Second World War at the expense of Palestinians.
“They resorted to military aggression to make an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering,” he said.
That prompted the walkout by some 40 diplomats from Britain and France and other European Union countries. The Europeans had threatened to leave the conference if it descended into anti-Semitism or other rhetoric harshly critical of Israel, which marred the UN’s last conference on racism eight years ago in South Africa.
Canada, the United States and eight other western countries were already boycotting the event yesterday, the eve of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, because of concerns about its fairness.
Canada’s decision to stay away was praised by Bernie M. Farber, chief executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress.
“With the news out of Geneva today that President Ahmadinejad engaged in another anti-Jewish, anti-Israel attack as he addressed the forum, it seems Canada got it right,” Farber said.
But critics argued Canada should have been there. The Canadian Arab Federation released a statement saying several Canadian civil society groups are dismayed at Ottawa’s refusal to attend.
“In Canada, racism continues to be a harsh, everyday reality for Aboriginal and racialized communities who suffer disproportionate levels of poverty, social exclusion, access to decent employment and social services such as education, housing and health care,” the statement said.
In his speech, Ahmadinejad also accused Israel of being the “most cruel and repressive racist regime” and blamed the U.S. invasion of Iraq on a Zionist conspiracy.
Most of his rhetoric was not new, but its timing and high profile could complicate U.S. efforts to warm ties with the Islamic republic. Alejandro Wolff, the U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations, denounced what he called “the Ahmadinejad spectacle.”
Protesters holding placards reading: “This is a circus. A racist cannot fight racism,” repeatedly interrupted the speech with shouts of “Shame! Shame!” and “Racist! Racist!”
Later, about 100 members of mainly pro-Israel and Jewish groups tried to block Ahmadinejad’s entrance to a scheduled news conference.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon met with Ahmadinejad before his speech and said he had counselled the Iranian leader to avoid dividing the conference. Ban later said he was disappointed Ahmadinejad had used his speech “to accuse, divide and even incite,” directly opposing the aim of the meeting.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned Ahmadinejad’s speech and Ban’s meeting with the Iranian.
“It is unfortunate that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon deemed it appropriate to meet with the greatest Holocaust denier of our time,” Israel said.
Most Muslim delegations in Geneva declined to comment, but Pakistan said the protesters were wrong to interrupt Ahmadinejad’s speech.
“If we actually believe in freedom of expression then he has the right to say what he wants to say,” said Ambassador Zamir Akram.
