Voting Against Hate, A few nights before Christmas, at the U.N.

At the United Nations of the 21st century there are precious few moments of moral clarity. Saturday, December 22 at 12:35 A.M. was one of them. 12:48 A.M. was another. On behalf of ordinary decent Americans everywhere, Ambassador Mark Wallace, U.S. Representative for United Nations Management & Reform, said no to U.N.-driven anti-semitism and attempts to decimate Israel on the political battlefield. At 12:35 A.M. Wallace, together with ambassadors from another 39 U.N. states, voted against using U.N. money to pay for Durban II a 2009 conference to be modeled on the infamous racist anti-racism conference held in Durban, South Africa six years ago.

Destination: Durban II, Tis the season to bankroll hatred of Israel and America.

At the United Nations, 'tis the season to bankroll hatred of Israel and America via pricey preparations for a 2009 gathering dubbed the "Durban Review Conference," or Durban II. Right now, plans have advanced from general talk of funding this jamboree out of the U.N. regular budget, and have homed in on a figure of $6.8 million which the U.N. budget committee is poised to approve.

A Dangerous Continuum

Human Rights First tackles antisemitism - "The international community must take a firm stand against any hate crime against anyone, anywhere. No one community under threat should be left to stand alone in the face of violent hatred and bigotry."

The Durban Emergency

Were there ever a case for America to reassess the way it finances international institutions, it would be the plan of the United Nations to mount a sequel to the Durban conference. Ostensibly a world conference against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the original Durban conference began with such a farcical, over the top anti-Semitic and anti-American atmosphere that Secretary of State Powell, in one of his greatest acts, withdrew the American delegation in its entirety.

Dollars for Durban II - Back to the U.N

" In the coming year, the planners would like to hold a series of advance meetings, jetting around the world for consultations and regional conclavesAll this takes money. But the Durban II planners, including such oil-rich regimes as Iran and Libya, are not proposing to fund it themselves. Instead, they want U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to give them a free ride by allocating to this conference and its preparations some $7.2 million for starters from the U.N. regular budget.

Sending our youth the wrong signals

Durban II meeting to be challenged, Canadian and American Legislators Announce

Canadian and American legislators met last week to consider sponsoring a counter-conference to compete with the UN-sponsored Durban II meeting on human rights that is set to convene in 2009

"Deconstructing Apartheid Accusations Against Israel", Interview with Gideon Shimon

"Alternately, when Israel cooperated with the South African government, after about 1973, the Israel=apartheid equation was deployed in the international forum as a propaganda sub-theme of the notorious 'Zionism is Racism' slander. More recently the 'Israel-is-an-apartheid state' mantra has subsumed and largely superseded the defamatory 'Zionism is Racism' slogan.

"Amnestys deep flaw"

Ive written several columns criticizing Amnesty International. Last week, Hassan Bility, a Liberian ex-dissident who Amnesty helped free from prison, wrote to contradict me (Human rights matter in Africa, Aug. 10). Hes right to appreciate their help. Pressuring regimes over jailed dissidents is an Amnesty hallmark. Hundreds are free because of its noble efforts. But agitation for select political prisoners does not negate Amnestys flawed agenda, which actually damages the cause of human rights.

"Distorting Israel"

In a wide-ranging interview with Frontpage Magazine, Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld discusses a number of issues regarding anti-Israel bias and opinion in Europe in general and the Netherlands in particular, including Dutch government funding of anti-Israel NGOs.