The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said many countries boycotted the UN World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) due to quick response to Israeli and American pressures.

The Durban II conference opened in Geneva on Monday without participation by the United States, Israel and some major allies, while a lot of other countries boycotted the conference due to the participation of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Those countries quickly responded to the Zionist and American pressure and extortion on their leaders," said Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas' spokesman in the Gaza Strip.

"They shunned the conference since it will expose the US-backed Zionist entity's use of all means of killings and destruction against the Palestinian people," Barhoum added.

Hamas also said the withdrawal of the United States in particular "conflicts with president Obama's calls for peace, security and the respect of human rights" in the Middle East.

On Sunday night, Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Geneva ahead of the controversial conference that is being boycotted by the United States, Israel, and several other countries. It was Ahmadinejad's first formal meeting with a Western head of state.

In January 2009, Israel ended a 22-day offensive in Gaza, killing more than 1,300 Palestinians and wantonly destroying thousands of civilian properties.