World Economic Forum chief apologizes after magazine calls for Israel boycott

By: MATT MOORE - Associated Press | Friday, January 27, 2006 11:31 PM PST ∞

DAVOS, Switzerland -- The executive chairman of the World Economic Forum has apologized after a magazine distributed at the annual meeting called for a boycott of Israel.

The publication, Global Agenda, contained an article saying Israel should be boycotted because of its ongoing struggle with the Palestinians. Klaus Schwab apologized Thursday for the article, saying it was not in the spirit of the meeting.

"This article is totally in contradiction to my own, and the forum's, mission and values," he said. "For 36 years I have been committed to fighting for mutual understanding in the world. The forum has been deeply involved in the efforts to create better relations and reconciliation in the Middle East and throughout the world."

Schwab said he investigated how the article, "Boycott Israel," by Mazin Qumsiyeh, found its way into the magazine. The article called for global civil society to boycott Israel "until it ends its apartheid-like treatment of Palestinians."

"I concluded there was an unacceptable failure in the editorial process, specifically an insufficiently short period for review of content -- for which there is no excuse," he said. "I, on behalf of the forum, profoundly apologize and express my regrets to everyone."

Shimon Samuels of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said the article was a "tirade of anti-Semitism."

Online links to the article were met by a message saying the page could not be found. Copies of the magazine at the Congress Center, where the meeting is taking place, were removed, forum spokesman Justin Blake said.

Schwab said steps had been taken to ensure a similar incident would not happen again, but he did not elaborate.

"I would like to confirm to all our friends in the Middle East, and throughout the world, that the forum will continue, under my leadership, to do everything possible to foster dialogue and open communication among all parties, based on mutual respect and recognition, and not on confrontation," he said.

Jewish groups welcomed Schwab's apology.

"We appreciate Mr. Schwab's quick action in investigating how that article got into print, in expressing his regret publicly, and in assuring that appropriate steps have been instituted to ensure that this will never happen again," said David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee.

On the Net:

World Economic Forum: http://www.weforum.org

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