UN to hold anti-Semitism conference

I read an article in Haaretz that the UN today is holding its first ever seminar devoted to anti-Semitism. A few years ago, the UN held a more general anti-racism conference in South Africa but, perversely, it degenerated into an Israel-bashing forum.

It's interesting that they're holding a conference devoted solely to anti-Semitism. The US logic with regard to UN resolutions is that it will never criticize even the most extreme actions of the Israeli government unless it's "balanced" by a condemnation of Palestinian terrorism. I'm wondering if some participants will turn this logic on its ear and refuse to attend the anti-Semitism conference unless it also explicitly condemns Israeli actions in the Occupied Territories.

Anyways, it's good that they're having this conference, even if such conferences are notorious for producing little more than high-minded declarations of intent that are never followed up. Israel's actions in the Occupied Territories certainly deserved to be condemned, mostly notably the horrible burden placed on Palestinian civilians with the collective punishment and arbitrary closing of the borders. The fact is that Israel's conduct in the Occupied Territories is no less atrocious than Morocco's occupation of the Western Sahara; the main difference.is that Western Sahara is not a cause celebre amongst the European or American left. Governments like Syria, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia (nor anyone who thought Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a wonderful chap) are in absolutely no position to criticize the human rights record of Israel or anyone else.

European criticism of Israel is fairly disproportionate. Not unjustified, but disproportionately frequent compared to all the outrages out there. They claim that it's not really anti-Semitism, just anti-Ariel Sharon. But Israel was a lightning rod even before Sharon was prime minister, even with the left-wing Ehud Barak.

They claim that they're tougher on Israel because [holds hand over hearts] it's a western country so they have higher standards. Their disingenueity borders on repulsive.

But of course, Israel is a proxy for the United States, so the European intelligentsia (and parts of the American left) feels comfortable in criticizing Israel disproportionately while pay relatively miniscule attention far worse atrocities like ethnic cleansing in Darfur or the disaster in Eastern Congo. Those man-made tragedies don't have an ideologically convenient scapegoat, do they?