London - Britain's chief rabbi, Mr Jonathan Sacks, has pulled out of next week's UN conference on racism in protest at language used towards Israel in a draft declaration. Sacks was part of the Eminent Persons Group which was intended to lend moral authority to the conference in Durban.
He said the final draft demeaned Jewish suffering by referring to the Nazi Holocaust with a small "h", compared Zionism to racism and condemned Israel's policy towards Palestinians. The spokesman said the rabbi's office had been contacted by UN human rights chief Mrs Mary Robinson, who said she understood his concerns.