David Cameron has intervened to pull Britain out of the follow-up to the controversial Durban conference.

The Prime Minister is understood to have personally made the decision that the UK should not take part in the event at the United Nations headquarters later this month.

Australia has joined America, Canada, Israel and several European nations in withdrawing from the controversial UN conference on racism next month.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Julia Gillard confirmed Tuesday that she was not convinced that "unbalanced criticism of Israel and the airing of antisemitic views" would be avoided, her spokesperson said.

British Jewish organisations have called on the UK government to follow in the footsteps of the United States and boycott the follow-up to the Durban conference.

Last week the American administration said that the US would not attend the United Nations event in September, because it would be wrong to commemorate the "ugly displays of intolerance and antisemitism" of the conference of September

British Jewish organisations have called on the UK government to follow in the footsteps of the United States and boycott the follow-up to the Durban conference.

The US said on Wednesday that it would not attend the United Nations event in September, because it would be wrong to commemorate the "ugly displays of intolerance and antisemitism" of the conference of September 2001.

The Obama administration has given official confirmation that it will not take part in the follow-up to the controversial Durban conference, set to take place at the United Nations headquarters in September.

One of the most controversial acts in the history of the United Nations General Assembly, Resolution 3379 determined that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination.”

A series of resolutions had been passed in 1973, criticising South Africa. These referred to the "unholy alliance between Portugese colonialism, Apartheid and Zionism". In 1975, this suggested link was taken a step further, with the passing of Resolution 3379.

The Serpent bar was where it all happened. In a vast room with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over Lake Geneva, the wheelers and dealers worked to reach accommodations during the Durban Review Conference hosted at the United Nations centre in the Swiss town this week.

People huddled around tables drinking coffee and talking about the events of the week, dominated of course by the speech of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday.

Two contrasting aspects of the Middle East conflict were brought home this week in Geneva and Israel.

In Geveva, there was the circus of the UN’s conference on racism; and in Israel, the revelation to the JC that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will agree to the principle of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Jewish groups in Geneva were in uproar over the response among UN officials to the antisemitic opening-day speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. None of the UN hierarchy joined the walk-out, and UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi