US Walks Out of UN Celebration of Anti-Israel Durban Conference
United States Ambassador to the global body Mike Waltz stated that the United States walked out from the United Nations on October 12, 2026, mirroring the American exit from the original event. The protest erupted as the global body convened to mark the 25th anniversary of the Durban Conference, a proceeding that Washington and Jerusalem have long condemned as a breeding ground for antisemitism and anti-American sentiment, JNS reported.
The United Nations Adoption of the Durban Declaration
Moments before the walkout, the United Nations adopted a resolution calling for the full implementation of the 2001 Durban Declaration. The wide support highlighted divisions among member states regarding the legacy of a conference that originally aimed to combat global racism.
Ambassador Mike Waltz Condemns the 25-Year Legacy
Ambassador Waltz stated that the 2001 event became the basis for anti-Western hate, anti-Americanism, and antisemitism. He asserted that the original conference transformed into a platform for global bureaucrats to push a hateful ideology. The U.S. envoy affirmed that just as American representatives walked out of the conference in 2001, the delegation would continue to fight those ideologies directly within the United Nations.
Danny Danon Recalls Historic Antisemitism at Durban
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon addressed the assembly during the debate, detailing the hostility that characterized the original 25-year-old gathering. Danon reminded delegates that the 2001 conference featured the circulation of Adolf Hitler images, the direct equation of Zionism with racism, and physical assaults against Jewish participants. He also pointed out that during the current year’s gathering, Iran’s representative described Zionism as a doctrine of supremacy.
“The Durban Conference was supposed to combat racism but instead became a platform for antisemitism and hatred of Israel,” Danon stated during the debate. “Israel will not support a resolution that legitimizes antisemitism under the guise of fighting racism.”
Over 40 Countries Boycott 2026 Commemoration
The 2026 commemoration faced international resistance long before the vote. While the resolution ultimately passed, successive anniversary events over the past quarter-century have encountered increasingly broad boycotts from nations rejecting the conference’s trajectory. More than 40 countries ultimately refused to attend the 2026 commemoration, mirroring a steady erosion of international consensus around the Durban framework.
Danon maintained that the legacy of Durban deserves no further recognition, celebration, or legitimacy from the international community. The Israeli envoy concluded that removing what he termed a stain from the United Nations remains an urgent necessity to preserve the integrity of global anti-racism efforts.