Objections continued to mount today against inclusion of the term “anti-Semitism” in the draft convention on the elimination of all forms of religious discrimination, now before the General Assembly’s Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs.
The representative of Kenya, Mrs. T. Kiti, opposed the reference to any particular kind of religious intolerance. She was supported by Mr. C. O’Leary of Eire who said that the convention should possess a universal character. The Tunisian representative, S. Guermazi, alleged that anti-Semitism “was strictly a European phenomenon that has largely radical implications” and said that the countries where it occurred “could sign a convention between themselves to deal with it.”
The Saudi Arabian delegate, C. Allagany, supported an Israeli suggestion that the term “anti-Judaism” be substituted for anti-Semitism and contended that “the true anti-Semitic practices today were directed against Moslem and Christian Arabs.” Mrs. L. Ider, of Mongolia, proposed that the convention be re-titled “International Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination on Grounds of Religion or Belief.”
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