Briefing by Jewish groups on Zionism disrupted by Arab protests.

(30 Aug 2001) 1. NGO meeting with tents and crowd 2. Set up for press conference for Worldwide Coalition of Jews 3. Various of press conference 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Ann Bayefsky, member of the International Association for Jewish Lawyers: "This conference has become the vehicle for those who would spread the biggest lie of all that Jewish self determination - Zionism - is in itself racist. Where are the human rights leaders of civil society - Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the rest of the international human rights NGO community who consider themselves the guardians of universal human rights standards? In this campaign to paint anti-Semitism as victimless, (and to) marginalise and trivialise Jewish participations in their fears and to incite racial violence and hatred towards the Jewish state in a forum perversely entitled 'A World Conference Against Racism.'" 5. Various Palestinians protesting at stage 6. Palestinian shouting "Zionism is Racism" 7. Palestinian demonstrators shouting "Tell us about tanks.." Why the Missiles?" "You are killing our children!" 8. Palestinian demonstrators outside, standing in front of Jewish demonstrators in a standoff 9. Israelis singing - "Let's give Peace a Chance" 10. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in tent meeting NGO's from all over the world 11. Hundreds of NGO officials greeting Kofi Annan 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Kofi Annan: "We can only resolve this by political means, not militarily. The only basis can be land for peace." 13. Palestinian demonstrators with banners calling Israel an apartheid state STORYLINE: Tempers flared on the eve of a U-N anti-Racism conference in Durban when Palestinian activists came face to face with representatives from Jewish groups. Hurling abuse and accusations that "Zionism is Racism" Palestinian protestors disrupted a Jewish NGO press briefing. The briefing was then cut short after after Jewish groups denounced what they called anti-Semitism. The Jewish community is outraged that a draft final document for the conference equates Zionism - the belief in a Jewish state - with racism. As a result of the language used in the document, both the United States and Israel have boycotted the conference. Professor Ann Bayefsky, of the International Association for Jewish Lawyers said at the briefing "this conference is a lie ... It's outrageous that this conference incites hatred towards the Jewish state." Determined to make their point, Palestinians demonstrated with banners calling Israel an "apartheid state". The U-N High Commissioner for Human Rights - Mary Robinson - said she was very concerned about the acrimony leading up to the conference and hoped it could be resolved. She said "this is a conference about victims of racial discrimination, a conference to move us forward toward reconciliation." She added "this conference cannot solve the Middle East problem." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...