YouTube Video of NY protest of Durban II

Following my call for a protest in NYC to denounce the charade at the Durban II conference, students gathered in front of the UN building to protest its silence of human rights abuses around the world.

A shift is needed on American campuses

We must all thank Ahmedinjad for legitimating our long-said message to the world.

For too long, Israel has been singled out by the United Nations: the special committees established to investigate the actions of Israel and only Israel; the endless resolutions passed against Israel; the special status granted to Palestinian refugees, which allows them to remain refugees despite being citizens of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and yes, Switzerland too.

I spoke with a Palestinian refugee just the other day who had citizenship in Canada before moving to Switzerland, where he now resides as a full citizen.

A brief encounter with three clowns

Although Monday's opening events at the Durban II conference are now old news, let me tell you what you did not see because Monday was a day that brought a brief encounter between three "clowns" (i.e. Ahmadinejad and the courageous French students).

It all began at 8AM this morning. After a quick breakfast, a large group of EUJS students hurried to the Plaza de Nations to protest the Second Durban Debacle before it officially began. Arriving at the Plaza, we took hold of our signs, placed a black piece of masking tape over our mouths, and stood in unity - silently.

About this blog

At Durban II

Zach is a member of the European Union of Jewish Student's delegation sent to the United Nations' 2009 World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Other Intolerance - dubbed Durban II after the 2001 World Conference on Racism in Durban, South Africa - which is taking place April 20-25 in Geneva, Switzerland. Zach will be blogging for JPost about the conference as the event unfolds. 

Zach is currently a junior at New York University, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Religious Studies, with intentions of attending law school. On campus, he is involved in Muslim-Jewish interfaith activities with Hillel, and is the 2009 Winner of the PANIM: Aaron Goldman Young Jewish Activist Award. Before college, Zach attended Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi in Katamon, Jerusalem.

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Joey B.: Zach: why should it come as a surprise to you that the U.N. so despises Israel? It, like Europe in general, has for years and will continue to do so. Know this for sure, however, that there are many Christian students who, while not Jewish, are still strongly pro-Israel. In fact, it is the Christians in the U.S., especially in the southern U.S., that continue to defend Israel and her right to exist. Let it be known that while Jewish complacency may exist on American college campuses, we Christians who believe in Israel will never relent our support. The God of Abraham lives! Shalom.
Fro, New Zealand: Lone voices joining each other make up a power to be reckoned with in the face of blatant UN sanctioned 'injustice' and 'racism'. Well done. You and your family are blessed in history. Thank you.
Daniel Orvomaa - Univ. of Helsinki: Great job Zach! Don't know if you remember but we did meet briefly last Monday. I just finished my own report for a paper back home and you wouldn't believe how similar it was to yours! unfortunately so few will ever hear about all this, and by all this I don't mean only the events at Durban, I mean Darfur, Iran and everything that's seriously wrong with the world today. I'm grateful for the whole experience, although it left me feeling more sad than victorious. Keep up the good work, next year in Jerusalem!