B'nai B'rith International (BBI) is discouraged by inappropriate and unconstructive comments about the upcoming Durban Review Conference posed by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay.

Following the United States' decision to withdraw from the conference on racism, Pillay said that the Durban process "has been the target of a disparaging media and lobbying campaign on the part of those who fear a repetition of anti-Semitic outbursts." In September, she singled out friends of Israel by asserting that Durban II has been subjected to "ferocious, and often distorted, criticism by certain lobby groups focused on single issues."

"It is regrettable that the High Commissioner would disparage very serious and well-founded concerns about the political exploitation of Durban rather than substantively address the manifest problem of anti-Zionism," said B'nai B'rith's Director of U.N. Affairs David Michaels.

B'nai B'rith International is the only major Jewish organization with an office dedicated exclusively to United Nations affairs.