Friday August 31 10:46 AM ET
Jackson: Zionism Criticism to Come Out
DURBAN, South Africa (AP) - The Palestinian delegation has agreed to drop criticism of Israel and Zionism in a final declaration for the U.N. conference against racism, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Friday.Following a three-hour meeting with Yasser Arafat, Jackson said the Palestinian leader had agreed to oppose efforts to criticize Israel and Zionism, and to recognize the Holocaust as the worst crime of the 20th century.
The Palestinians were not immediately available for comment.
Jackson presented reporters with a handwritten draft of the document signed by Arafat in which he said he did not want the U.N. conference to derail over criticism of Israel.
The racism gathering has been overshadowed in part by anti-Israel language in a draft of the conference document. The United States decided not to send a high-level delegation to the conference because of negative references to Israel and the Zionist movement.
Shortly after making the announcement, Jackson spoke to Secretary of State Colin Powell by telephone to explain the statement Arafat had signed.
Jackson criticized the Bush administration for not sending Powell, noting that he was able to resolve the controversy simply by talking to the Palestinian leader.
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Friday August 31 12:20 PM ET
PLO's Arafat Blasts Israel as 'Racist' State
DURBAN, South Africa (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat used a United Nations conference on Friday to blast Israel as a ``racist'' state and accused it of ethnic cleansing.``Condemnation of the Israeli occupation and its racist practices and laws, which are based on racism and superiority, is considered today an urgent demand by our people,'' Arafat said at a panel meeting of leaders assembled at the U.N. World Conference Against Racism in the South African port of Durban.
``This brutality and arrogance are moved by a mentality of superiority that practices racism and racial discrimination, that adopts ethnic cleansing,'' Arafat said.
Arafat spoke in Arabic and the remarks were an official Palestinian translation.
The Durban talks have been mired in controversy since attempts by Arab and Islamic states to equate Zionism with racism and to single out Israel as a ``racist'' state.
The United States threatened to boycott the event, which opened on Friday, because of ``offensive'' language against Israel in the conference's draft declarations.
Washington sent a delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Michael Southwick with instructions to seek changes in the language on Israel. It said it would decide on whether to take part, and at what level, depending on the outcome of negotiations.
``This historical conference represents a decisive historical turning point in the position of all humanity vis-a-vis racism, discrimination and racist practices which are all incorporated in the Israeli occupation of and settlements in our homeland, Palestine,'' Arafat said.
``Our Palestinian people; who are suffering as a result of this severe occupation, cancerous settlements and racial discrimination; look forward toward this conference to stand on their side,'' Arafat said.