Durban conference: NGOs adopt anti-Israeli declaration

The World Conference Against Racism's NGO Forum said Sunday it had formally passed its draft declaration which included a strong denunciation of Israel.

The final declaration condemned Israel as a "racist, apartheid state" for its actions against Palestinians.

The grouping of nearly 4,000 civil society groups also decided to withdraw a clause which would have condemned the firebombing of synagogues and armed assaults against Jews.

Jewish NGOs attending the final session on adopting the text walked out in protest shortly before more than 40 NGO caucus groups passed the declaration in the early hours of Sunday.