Thank You Mr. President, Muslims Appreciate Barack Obama, Boycotting the UN – Conference on Justice? A Comment on the News!

Hasan Yahya,Ph.D

I read this piece of news today from the Los Angeles Times (LAT) Headlines: Monday, April 20, “U.S. stays away from racism summit,” as a title, then in a little more detail: “Washington boycotts the U.N. conference, citing concerns about anti-Israel sentiments.” As you see the little detailed title of the conference is the true one, but the LAT, describes it as “racism conference” in the flattery title: with the term “racism”. So how this happen? May be the LA Times wants us to believe that the UN is a racist agency, supporting Palestinians. The conference took place in Geneva, while most countries attended except, certainly, Israeli bound states like the USA, New Zealand The Netherlands, Germany which announced their boycotts”, in addition to “Australia, Canada, Israel and Italy which also said they would not participate. These countries do not represent the entire West, fortunately. But the most important ones, who supported Israel for a long time.

So far so good, President Barack Obama will get the pro-Israel support this time, after the homecoming show in Turkey and the 20 state members conference as well as NATO 60th birthday. The message for the pro-Israel in America, and for Israeli extremist government, says: Barack Obama is not selling out Israel yet. This situation satisfies Israel and its friends, for sure, but make Palestinians outraged. They only need recognition that they suffered in the recent Israeli war while justice was absent. That’s all. Thank you, Mr. President.

What would be the reaction of the Muslim world?

I guess, they will forget about the non-attendees, for the sake of diplomacy, after all, they believed President Obama was sincere in his speeches, and that’s what counts in the first place. In addition, they do not have any weight in the world community other than attending conferences. Boycotting such conference, I believe, for the United States, divides the world more than before and challenges NATO members solidarity. And may hurt the strategic plans for US NATO global force. Especially when some European allies are needed for the future of NATO and the USA cooperation of forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This is the UN “first global racism conference in eight years” the news paper repeats the word “racism” as it wishes, to remind readers. It did not use the term “ant-Semitic” which is I believe, is a progress in media bias in the U.S. It may be also to satisfy Israeli Lobby in Washington. The newspaper added ” out of concern that Muslim countries plan to demand that it denounce Israel and bar criticism of Islam.” Which is legitimate concern after worldwide criticism of the 22-Days of Israeli invasion on Gaza Strip celebrating the new year. But I don’t think that was intended from Muslims. This a news-fabrication about the conference outcomes. At least seven countries, plus the US will surely not attend. Or as the news paper says: “boycotting the event”. Thank God, they are not repeating the ugly term “racism”. Furthermore, the newspaper was unbiased, it brings Obama as saying for the U.S: “it would boycott “with regret” the weeklong meeting in Geneva, which already is experiencing much of the bickering and political infighting that marred the 2001 conference in Durban, South Africa”. And added his own words: “I would love to be involved in a useful conference that addressed continuing issues of racism and discrimination around the globe.”

Well, Mr. President, the Israeli racist policies described as apartheid from a previous president, is not enough to for racism and discrimination. Or the IDF daily practices against Palestinians, or the Jerusalem issues of confiscating lands, and houses, and replacing them with non-racist Jews is not enough to convince you to attend such conference about justice.
The newspaper brings readers to Durban conference for NGOs, whom I call the silent majority for morality, to watch justice worldwide, but they were described by President Obama as “folks expressed antagonism toward Israel in ways that were often times completely hypocritical and counterproductive.” Well, this quote seems hypocritical statement for some NGOs attended the Durban conference. It is an important comment comes from the president of the United States for its face-value.

The President added according to the LA Times report, “We expressed in the run-up to this conference our concerns that if you adopted all of the language from 2001, that’s not something we can sign up for,” Obama said.

Well, Mr. President. What do you expect from those who witnessed atrocities of IDF Armies and planes against Palestinians in Gaza Strip for 22 Days? [Oh, I should say, the IDF defending Israel security war, who are the Palestinians?] Demonstrations include Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Atheists came together in Europe, in the USA, and in many other countries? Do you expect Mr. President, a soft conference, using soft diplomatic words? So Israel or its supporters will not be hurt? Well I think the answer is known now.

I think the outcomes of the U.N. conference, will cite concerns about anti-Israel sentiments. Or the proposed final United Nations declaration are “its implied criticism of Israel and an attempt by Muslim governments to ban all criticism of Islam, Sharia law, the prophet Muhammad and other tenets of their faith.” [This is a good composition from the media] According to the Newspaper. Another reason may be that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will speak on the first day.

An advice to President Obama, is to be neutral when it comes to the Middle East conflict, Muslims cannot be easily deceived in politics, I advice the President to be clear about the two roles played by the United States for a long period of time in this case, Muslims like from the USA, to understand that their sentiments [while effecting nothing of Israeli power], the justice term have to be taken into consideration before deciding “boycotting” a UN Conference, it may claim true statements about Israeli action. [There will be documentation of IDF behavior] The only positive reaction for the President “boycotting the conference” is I am sure, the anti-Arabs and anti-Muslims in America will revise the stereotyping they make about the President leadership of the USA. Everybody knows what I mean! It’s filling the internet. (1080 words)

Hasan Yahya, is an American Arab scholar, a professor of Sociology, a columnist at wfol.tv, Malaysia, and TINA International News Agency, Michigan, USA. www.hasanyahya.com