B’nai B’rith Praises Uruguay over Zionism-racism Resolution

The chairman of the International Council of B’nai B’rith had praise this week for the vote in the Congress of Uruguay that denounced United Nations Resolution 3379, which in 1975 declared Zionism a form of racism.

Georges Bloch, speaking from his office here, noted that the Uruguayan Congress over-whelmingly rejected the U.N. resolution as being inimical to international understanding and constituting an obstacle to peaceful relations among nations.

Uruguay’s legislature branded the infamous resolution “an expression of the campaign to deny the right of the State of Israel to exist.”

Bloch said, “In this impressive multipartisan vote by the Uruguayan Congress, a country that just three years ago returned to the democratic fold has sent a resounding message to the rest of the international community that Resolution 3379 is an abomination and must be repealed.

“B’nai B’rith and world Jewry are profoundly grateful to Uruguay for making this necessary statement about a resolution that has stained the U.N. record for more than a dozen years.”

Bloch recently returned from a mission to Latin America, where he met with government officials and journalists as well as leaders of the Jewish community there.

Warren Eisenberg, director of the International Council of B’nai B’rith, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in a telephone interview from Washington, “In each country, there were different sets of issues, but in Uruguay, the ‘Zionism is racism’ issue was discussed.”

Eisenberg said that B’nai B’rith has been involved in similar efforts in other countries, including Peru and Australia, “which have taken action on the resolution. It doesn’t mean it’s going to move,” said Eisenberg, referring to the “difficult situation” that Israel is presently in because of the Palestinian uprising.