The UN anti-racism conference in South Africa enters its fourth day today with little sign of progress on the bitterly divisive issue of the Middle East which led the US and Israeli delegations to threaten yesterday that they may quit the event.
The standoff centres on the insistence of Arab and Islamic delegates that language condemning Israel's treatment of the Palestinians be included in texts due to be adopted by the conference. The US and Israel angrily accused the Palestinians of "hijacking" the gathering of more than 150 states.
Both countries have already downgraded their delegations to the conference in protest at the proposed wording of more than 30 articles.
It is understood a compromise resolution to resolve the row has been proposed by Norway. It is understood the Palestinians initially rejected the proposal, which does not specifically name Israel. Talks on the issue were continuing last night.
At a press conference last night the head of the Israeli delegation said they were "reaching a state where we have to reconsider our participation. We have to consider whether to walk out of the conference." Mr Mordechay Yadid accused the Palestinians of "a political offensive aimed at tarnishing the name of the state of Israel and Jewish people".
Mr Tom Lantos, a senior US congressman and Holocaust survivor who is part of the US delegation, said the talks were being "hijacked by a small group hellbent on discriminating".
The California Democrat said he hoped the US would not have to walk out of the event. However, there was a distinct possibility it would, he added.
The South African deputy president, Mr Jacob Zuman, said he did not think the Middle East issue had hijacked the conference. "There is nothing wrong with raising the issue," he said.
In a separate development at the weekend, thousands of nongovernmental organisations adopted a resolution accusing Israel of genocide and crimes against humanity.
The condemnation was part of the final declaration from a five-day NGO forum, which ended on Saturday. The text declared Israel "a racist, apartheid state".
Groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights refused to endorse the declaration. The resolution will be submitted to the UN world conference, but will have no binding effect.
In his address to the conference on Saturday, the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, branded Israel a racist state.
As the rancorous negotiations continued, the former South African president, Mr Nelson Mandela, made a plea to governments to seize the chance to end the "contagion" of racial discrimination.
Other issues which remain stumbling blocks to a successful outcome of the conference include apologies and reparations for slavery and colonisation.
African and Caribbean states want a formal apology included in documents to be adopted by the conference. Some African countries are pressing for reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. Some Western states, including Britain, fear that an unqualified apology could open the door to lawsuits.
The Irish Times understands some European countries are working on proposals to settle the apology issue. The text would state that the world conference apologises to victims on behalf of those who perpetrated violations of human dignity.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson confirmed she made remarks defending Jews against an offensive cartoon she was shown at a dinner last week attended by the Arab Lawyers Union. Mrs Robinson responded to the drawing she considered racist by stating: "I am a Jew." Her spokesman, Mr Jose Diaz, said: "She was reacting to a caricature in a booklet of a Jew. She was showing solidarity with victims of racism. She said `when I see this kind of literature I have to say I am a Jew'."