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26Islam, Democracy and Human Rights in Contemporary Indonesiamanifestations of discrimination.Finally, I should not like to conclude these remarks withoutbriefly touching on the sensitive issue of the plight of thePalestinians as well as other inhabitants of the Arab occupiedterritories in this World Conference. We have before our eyes atragic example of the speed with which a situation candegenerate almost to the point of full-blown conflict despitecountless efforts at mediation and peace talks, which not longago seemed close to success. Therefore, in the face of all theseconsiderations as well as the hardships borne by the Palestiniansfor decades as a result of the racist and the hegemonic practicesof Israel, the occupying power, it is morally imperative that theinternational community take effective measures to protectpeople under this kind of foreign occupation.To sum up, Madam President, one should not belittle theimportant advances which have undoubtedly been achieved inthe fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia andrelated intolerance over the fifty years which have elapsed sincethe adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in1948. However, despite these very real efforts, racial hatred cantake on many subtle and complex forms, making it hard toeradicate. It is this major challenge which now faces this WorldConference and it behaves all of us here to take it on, so that wecan set the stage for a new and more tolerant millennium,characterized by respect for diversity and greater understandingamong humankind families.[]