Even before his election, then-Senator Obama referred to the ‘question’ of Israel and the Palestinian statehood a one of a "constant wound," a "constant sore" which does "infect all of our foreign policy" in a May 2008 interview with Atlantic writer Jeffrey Goldberg. Obama aides and associates were quick to reshape the context in which the statement was made, but the damage was done: even by slipping, Obama showed the world that in his mind, the issue of Israel protecting itself from hostile and terror-embracing neighbors, was somehow akin to a festering wound. This was also an example of the president’s tendency to present two uneven groups or ideas as being inherently equal: Israel is on a significantly higher moral footing than Hamas or the nations which sponsor Hamas and other anti-Semitic Islamic militant groups. Wit can be defined as the successful comparison of two apparently different things or ideas, showing how they are in fact, similar. If the former senator was aiming for wit in his statements, he missed.

It’s no surprise that an administration would mislead the public: it’s been done many times before. The surprise this time around was that deception played a key role in the president’s agenda, considering his repeated calls for transparency and his mantra of uber-awesome "change." The background of presidential Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, a former Illinois congressman, was trumped to appeal to pro-Israel voters. Emanuel had gone to Israel to volunteer in factories during the first Gulf War, and this was relayed in a way to appeal to those voters who perhaps were unsure of Obama’s already nebulous committment to Israel. Emanuel has reportedly been a harsher voice on Israel than voters were swayed to believe he would be, and according to Politico, many Israelis have also become "increasingly disenchanted" with the man who should have been a strong pro-Israel voice in what is shaping up to be a hard-line left administration.

By throwing their weight behind no one in particular, the Obama administration commits the greatest mistake of all: forgetting who its real friends are. Israel is the one nation which can be counted on, thick or thin, for total support in an hour of need. Israel has never declared war on the United States, and Israel is the one functional democracy in the entire Middle East: that’s the truth, and even the most virulent anti-Semite cannot deny that (assuming they follow any form of logic). In the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," Harrison Ford (as the title character) responds to a Nazi sympathizer who claims she only sides with the Nazis in an effort to get ahead, not out of genuine political alignment. "You stood up to be counted with the enemies of everything the Grail stands for, who gives a damn what you think!" If the Obama administration fails to see the bigger picture of the moral underdog surrounded by bloodthirsty tyrants, then the administration dooms itself to be counted among the morally weak, those remembered in history books only for their wavering when the hour of need came upon their friends.

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According to The Guardian, the Iranian faced of politics has been jumping on the "Yes We Can" bandwagon as of late. However, there is some confusion over the exact timeline, with some claiming that Ahmadinejad used a variation as early as 2005, though Obama is said to have used his version even earlier.

Arguably, the "Yes, We Can" slogan, combined with the vague promises of "Hope" and "Change," are what won President Obama his position as President. (Though a similar, if not the same, slogan was used to elect Deval Patrick as Massachusetts governor, also under the tutelage of Axelrod.) This fact was not lost on Iranian "President" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who recently began co-opting the slogan and playing of his days as a former schoolteacher. Apparently even tyrants and out-of-touch-with-reality Holocaust-deniars can’t pass up a good slogan when they see it.

One has to wonder exactly what it is that Ahmadinejad’s slogan is referring to. Yes we can destablize the world? Yes, we can wipe Israel off the map? Yes, we can sustain skyrockting inflation while ignoring the Iranian people’s plight? Yes, we can bring about the end of days? It’s just not quite as uplifting as it was, when used in American politics.

For a man who thinks that rats from Israel are why people in Iran live shorter lives (ignoring the whole, ‘the government doesn’t give a hoot about its people in Iran’ thing) than in Israel, someone in his corner is politely astute enough to jump on the popular politics bandwagon. What strange bedfellows politics makes, indeed, even if said bedfellows aren’t exactly giving honest credit where credit is due.

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The Durban Conference will take place from April 20 – 25, which also happens to fall during the week of Yom HaShoah, or the day of remembrance for those slain in the Holocaust. The symbolism of picking this particular week in which to hold the conference has not been lost on many. The day of remembrance also reminds us of why the state of Israel was created. By trying to get the world to forget about the Holocaust, those who hate Israel (and deny the Holocaust) hope to make the world forget the rationale behind a Jewish state (the one nation in the world created to provide an entirely save haven to those survivors of the wholesale attempted slaughter of an entire people) and attempt to slander and defame the nation of Israel. The people behind this are, shall we say, not the most savory, or historically knowledgeable/honest, people.

Durban II will begin today, purportedly to tackle issues of racism and prejudice.  If only that was the true rationale behind the United Nations conference, then there would be no major bones to the United States’s participation. However, if history can be our guide, and Durban II is anything like its (shameful) predecessor, than the tiny nation of Israel wil once again become the awful enemy of human rights, peace, love, puppy dogs and rainbows, rather than the real abusers, such as tyrant-dominated countries and countries known more for thei horrendous track records with human rights, than for any goods and services. (Libya’s place on the Human Rights Council: anyone remember that gem?) Even off-his-rocker Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be attending, so to assume this meeting will be based on any form of reality, is to be terribly naive. Sadly, the only thing which can be expected from this conference are just more meaningless condemnations of Israel. The only racism to be discussed in this conference will be the rampant racism vollied against Israelis and Jews. Way to go, United Nations!

In an ironic twist, an Israeli Arab politician and chairman of the Balad party, MK Jamal Zahalka, will be attending the conference, according to the Jerusalem Post. Ironically, he has the freedom to attend a conference against his government, without suffering the loss of his job or physical harm, a privilege which the vast majority of those living under tryants do not enjoy. Do not expect Mr. Zahalka to stick up for any truly disenfranchised citizens of the world or to take a stand against anti-Semitism, sexism, rapes, forced marriages, terror or a wide variety of other topics which may actually create meaningful change.

While those under the regimes of Hugo Chavez, the Castro brothers, Kim Jong Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and other cruel leaders are starving and living unfairly harsh lives,  the brass at the U.N. continue to ignore their plight, opting to do what is easy (and WRONG) rather than to get some, as they say, "cojones," and right the wrong. Though this is slightly off-topic, a great quote comes to mind, by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt:

"It is easier to curse the darkness than to light a candle."

It’s time the U.N. actually got off its haunches, and lit a guiding light. Other nations want to take a more upfront role in global affairs? They can start by man-ing up taking a serious approach to the *real* and documented beatings, "honor" killings, rapes, sanctioned infanticides, forced starvation, kidnapping, discrimination and sexism so rampant in the third world… and in some major nations.

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1.) "Thou shalt nt succomb to the lore of the so-called inevitable." Basically, he reasoned, there is nothing that is unstoppable, there is nothing that cannot be changed. Stephens focused on the idea of Iran holding a nuclear weapon, and how such a prognostication should not signal our acquiescence to such a dangerous proposal.

2.) "Don’t succumb to temptation of negotiation for negotiation’s sake." Stephens noted that negotiations is "simply a tool of statecraft," but it would be "foolish to think we have to" negotiate over just anything.

3.) "Thou shalt not forget human rights activists and supporters of democracy in Middle Eastern states." Too often, the unsung heroes of freedom are overlooked in the Middle East, which is a terrible shame.

4.) "Thou shalt not forget about Egpyt and Pakistan." This point noted that there are serious problems facing both of these large countries, including the Taliban in Pakistan and a weak (and elderly) Egpytian leader, and the impending issue of who will rule Egpyt next.

5.) "Thou shalt take the Iranian regime at its word." If the Iranians and Ahmadinejad are saying they want to wipe Israel off the map and destroy the "Great Satan" of the U.S.A., don’t take it lightly.

6.) "Thou shalt not let the name of Israel and the Jews be traduced." [Isn’t traduced a great word? SAT vocab!] Namely, don’t stand by as the minority is unjustly slammed.

7.) "We need to start making a much better case for Israel." (Start thinking about the "total case for Israel.") Stephens noted that unfortunately, "the main thrust of criticism of Isrsael is coming from the left. This is sad, as only decades ago, the "liberal" Democrats of yore (such as President Harry Truman, Scoop Jackson and Jeane Kirkpatrick, among others) were the staunchest supporters of the state of Israel, because they felt it was right to support the underdog, and had special personal convictions to support Israel as well. 

Listening to Mr. Stephens, one is reminded of the youthful and hip college professor who seems to have a very good understanding of all facets at hand. The best part? No one fell asleep… nor were they even tempted, as all stayed awake, engaged and responsive. I’d call that a rip-roaring success, especially on a Tuesday evening. I would go again anytime, and recommend as much to anyone else interested in learning more about current international relations and statecraft, particularly in such a tumultuous environment. Overall, a 5-star speech by an erudite scholar of our time.

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Like its no-holds-barred brother-in-action, the Israel Apartheid Week website also directs inquiries to be sent to a number of different email addresses, depending on region, including a number of email addresses through the free Gmail server, including apartheidweeknyc@gmail.com for New York residents. This anti-Semitic and anti-Israel "celebration" masquerades as an anti-apartheid, pro-human rights week. Started in Toronto five years ago, this sham of an awareness week officially takes place in only a small number of large U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, New York City, Boston and Berkeley. It’s going on right now, from March 1 – March 8, 2009. The invitation to join is startlingly jolly: "Mark your calendars – the 5th Annual Israeli Apartheid Week will take place across the globe from March 1-8, 2009!" The IAW is further described, with a congratulatory pat on the back, as "one of the most important global events in the Palestine solidarity calendar. Last year, more than 25 cities around the world participated." The goal of this week is to commemorate the false "expulsion of the Palestinian people from their homes and land in 1947-1948." This is a widely accepted falsehood, and belies the organizer’s ignorace of history. During Israel’s fight for independence, some residents of what is now referred to as Palestine, were encouraged by Arab brethren to briefly leave their homes, as upon the hoped-for defeat of the Jews, they expected to pillage the Jewish homes and belongings. There was never a forced exodus, and this is backed up by the fact that some non-Jewish residents of the same territories, did not leave, and never saw themselves as Palestinians. The same people who left on the expectation of the Jews’ defeat, generally chose not to return. The true apartheid and discrimination that is ignored, is that the neighboring nations, including Egypt, refused to settle any of those leaving the newly-created state of Israel. These people were kept as "refugees" by the huge, neighboring nations, in a sick display of untenable vengeance.

The official mission of this weeklong "week of awareness" is based on some sort of drug-induced false reality: 

"Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is an annual international series of events held in cities and campuses across the globe. [Note: only about 40 cities actually recognize this silly event.] The aim of IAW is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns as part of a growing global BDS movement… This year, IAW happens in the wake of Israel’s barbaric assault on the people of Gaza. Lectures, films, and actions will make the point that these latest massacres further confirm the true nature of Israeli Apartheid. IAW 2009 will continue to build and strengthen the growing Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement at a global level."

This ridiculous description does provide a window into the minds of the organizers, however: like the  U.S. Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel, its mission is to encourage the isolation, anandonment and failure of Israel, via divestment. The organizers must realize, to some degree, that if Western nations stop supporting Israel, it will face the wrath of its heartened neighbors/enemies, who are quite vocal about their feelings for the Jewish state: they want it to disappear. Iran, Libya, Syria, and so on and so forth: each is very clear in its official goal to wipe away the blight in their midst, the one Jewish locale, the one truly free locale in the entire Middle East. If the organizers of the Israel Apartheid Week exercises were honest in their desire to eradicate abuses, they would offer solutions, not abandonment. Interestingly, if you peruse the event’s website, there is not one solid example of Israeli-sponsored discrimination or apartheid, other than generalized and vague statements. If the organizers of this event were truly interested in ending real human rights abuses, they would be after Libya, North Korea, Cuba, Burma and even China, among many other nations where the populaces suffer to no end. It is interesting that not one of the officially Arab states, most of which (including Saudi Arabia) discriminate against Jews, is mentioned as an abusive, human rights-abusing, apartheid-loving culprit. One can’t help but think of the U.N., and its inability to act against true abusers, but its plethora of citations against the tiny nation of Israel. Israel Apartheid Week is in the minor leagues, as only 40 or so cities even bother to recognize it for the fifth year running.

The second anti-Israel "event" of sorts is the ongoing U.S. Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel. Also organized and supported by professed academics, this shameful group calls for complete divestment of Israel… which is the most prolific nation in the Middle East, when it comes to innovation and academic advancement. Reading the history of this venture, one gets the feeling that it was started as a way to jump on the bandwagon, having no clear perception of where that wagon was really going. Here is the mission statement of this anarchic group: "Responding to the call of Palestinian civil society to join the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement against Israel, we are a U.S. campaign focused specifically on a boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions, as delineated by PACBI (Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel). Ah, there we go. The irony is rather delicious: the "academics" signing on to the U.S. version, could not even come up with an original charter, or original reason to join, other than that the Palestinians said it was right. Does this not fly in the face of the academic ideal, that original ideas must be created? 

Looking at the list of "fellow academics" supporting the measure, it is easy to see exactly who is mostly supporting this move. Just some of the names include Khaled Abou El Fald (UCLA Law), Feres Abou-Galala (UCR), Elmaz Abinader (Mills College), Hamid Algar (UCB), Naser Alsharif (Creighton University), Hamid Dabashi (Columbia), Salah Hassan (Michigan State University), Sondra Hale (UCLA, also an organizer), Manzar Foroohar (California Polytechnic State University, also an organizer), David Klein (CSUN, and also an organizer), David Lloyd (USC, also an organizer) and many others. Interestingly, most of these organizers are from California schools. What is going on in that state? And of course, this is only the list of those who support this anti-Israel movement and agreed to have their names shared publicly. One can only hope that there are not as many who are supporting it anonymously. Add in a number of narrow-minded "experts" of one narrow discipline, and you’ve got a list of 234 professors, who are not only supportive of a total divestment of Israel for an unrealistic reason, but you’ve got 234 people who feel so passionately about it, that they would sign their names to a public list of those who protect and stand for everything this idea represents. If you have any questions or comments about this illogical anti-Israel boycott, feel free to send an email to uscom4acbi@gmail.com. Yes, this is such a strong cause that they are using a free Gmail account to field questions. The Israeli Apartheid Week is also supported by StopTheWall.org, which is a self-described "Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign." Despite the fact that the wall has been generally recognized as the most powerful anti-suicide tool of the last years, or perhaps because of that fact, it, too, has been villainized, much as the Israeli people it is in place to protect.

Good people need to stand up to injustices and free-flowing hate speech targetted at the perceived week. If one truly feels that there is injustice, the only way to combat it is with positive change, not vague and defamatory accusations made in blind rage. Celebrating anti-Israel behavior and anti-Semitism is sick, and so are these two campaigns.

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In 2001, the United Nations hosted a conference, ostensibly on racism and human rights, in Durban, South Africa. The entire conference turned into such a venomous anti-Israel and anti-Semitic parade that the United States, under the leadership of then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, departed the conference quickly. It was such a reknowned failure in the eyes of the West and the U.S., that the U.N. is already gearing up for a sequel conference in just over a month and a half.

In 2001, the Durban Conference dwindled down to an anti-Israel rant and rave. This year’s version has a script which again seeks to vilify only Israel, which is, ironically, the only true democracy in the Middle East. According to the language of this year’s conference talking points, the complete protection of any anti-Islamic speech is also a hot button issue. The top two topics are the defamation of Israel and Jews, and the ironclad protection of Islam and Muslims. Irony? You bet.

This year’s replay of the resoundingly unsucessful Durban Review Conference is set to take place from April 20 – 24, 2009 in Geneva. Not surprisingly, the conference takes place during Yom HaShoah, the annual day of remembrance for those killed in the Shoah, or Holocaust, of 1939-1945 (officially lasting those years, though many Jews were slaughtered prior to those years). 

The Obama administration initially agreed to send a delegation to the conference. Interestingly, the announcement was quiet. Under pressure from those with memories stretching back to 2001’s disastrous Durban meeting, the administration finally did pull out, though it did leave the door open if the language of the conference was to change. With Israel-hating nations like Libya and Syria on board, however, such moderation is more of a pipe dream than a likely scenario. (Already ongoing is the 5th annual Israel Apartheid Week, another disgraceful meeting of the anti-Israel minds. More information on that to come.)

Why has Israel been so villainized by the United Nations? The simple and startingly answer is this: the seemingly weak are easier to bully. Why have the vast majority of U.N. resolutions been aimed against Israel? Perhaps it appears easier to fault a country the size of Rhode Island than it is to fault the cruel but wealthy neighboring states of Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Libya.

Even France, the Netherlands, Australia, Germany and EU leadership are wobbly in their resolve to support the Israel hate-fest that is the Durban Conference. Unfortunately, even the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights cannot see through the politics of this event, and Navi Pillay has defended the conference as a true meeting on racism. The United Nations has refused to stand up to the true human rights abusers, sexists, anti-Semites and racism-upholders of the world, including brutal Middle Eastern, Central European, African and Asian dictatorships and authoritative rulers such as Syria’s Bashar Asad, Iran’s Ahmadinjed, Cuba’s Castro brothers, Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi, North Korea’s Kim Jung Il, Zimbabwe’s Mugabe, Myanmar/Burma’s Than Shwe and even Russia’s Putin and puppet leader Medvedev, who are clearly hellbent on the path to Russian dominance. An organization such as the U.N., which ignores its purpose and seeks only to chastise those it sees as weaker, has no serious place on the world stage. The U.N. was the post-WWII answer to the post-WWI League of Nations, which was ineffective and failed soon after its establisment.

If the United Nations leadership cannot flex its muscles enough to put on a serious conference on human rights in the 21st century, then it has no business parading around as a global leader. The saying "lead, follow or get out of the way" comes to mind. Since the U.N. has clearly not been leading when the heat is on, perhaps it is time it simply gets out of the way and focuses on something in which it can actually make a difference.

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