Twenty five years after Durban, equating Zionism with racism has become mainstream - editorial

Twenty-five years ago, world leaders convened in Durban, South Africa, for a United Nations conference aimed at combating racism. However, the event transformed into a pivotal moment in the campaign against Israel, setting the stage for the aggressive rhetoric directed at the Jewish state and those labeled "Zionists" today. The 2001 World Conference against Racism included a draft document that equated Zionism with racism, singling out Israel for its right to exist.

The United States and Israel ultimately withdrew from the conference, and Jewish participants faced antisemitism during a parallel NGO gathering. Israel was accused of racism, apartheid, and genocide, while the conference shifted focus to attacking Zionism itself. The final declaration did not equate Zionism with racism but condemned antisemitism, while the NGO forum accused Israel of being an "apartheid state," called for its isolation, and labeled the accusations as part of a new form of the old charge that Zionism is racism.

The significance of Durban lies in the language it generated, which migrated from Soviet and Arab political polemic into the world of international law, human rights, and NGOs. This language is now routinely used to delegitimize Israel and its supporters, with accusations of apartheid, racism, and genocide becoming commonplace. The legacy of Durban is that it has normalized such criticisms, blurring the line between criticism of Israeli policies and opposition to Zionism itself.

The ongoing use of "Zionist" as a term of abuse and the transfer of apartheid-era language to Israel demonstrates how Durban's legacy endures, 25 years later.