[Jerusalem Post] Yaakov Ahimeir - As an Israeli member of the media I had been invited to participate in a UN-sponsored seminar on "Middle East Peace" in Rio. Its stated purpose: to bridge the gaps between the people of the region, minimize controversy and create dialogue. However, after two days of discussions, I felt that the very opposite had been accomplished. The UN conference inflamed hatred towards Israel; it was like a trial in which Israel was the accused, but with no right to defend itself. The Rio conference was a UN-sponsored hate-fest against Israel in which most of the speakers represented the Palestinian side; the chairmen of the debates knew which members of the audience to give the floor to - those who would bash Israel; one of the chairmen did not allow MK Ronit Tirosh (from Kadima) to finish a sentence; all the chairmen were generous of spirit (and time) toward those who "delivered the goods" - including members of the local Jewish community who placed Israel in front of a firing squad. The writer is the host of Israel Television's weekly news magazine.
2009-08-13 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive