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Murder

The IHRA Definition of Antisemitism: A Path to Muzzling Legitimate Debate

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism continues to be a subject of debate, its adoption by over 40 countries, including Australia, has sparked criticisms from hundreds of leading scholars and Jewish studies experts. The IHRA definition has been accused of muzzling legitimate debate about Israel/Palestine and Zionism, leading to the development of the Jerusalem Declaration, a competing definition that aims to combat real and growing antisemitism.

Key Takeaways:

  • The IHRA definition of antisemitism, adopted in 2016, includes accusing Jews of "controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions" and denying the facts of the Holocaust.
  • The definition has been criticized for its undue emphasis on Israel and its potential to muzzle legitimate debate about Israel/Palestine and Zionism.
  • The Jerusalem Declaration, drafted by hundreds of leading scholars in 2020, offers a competing definition that removes the "state issue" from the question of antisemitism.
  • The IHRA definition has been used to silence critics of Israel, including academics, students, and journalists, who are accused of antisemitism for expressing skepticism about Israel's policies.
  • The Jerusalem Declaration acknowledges that hostility to Israel can be an expression of "antisemitic animus," but also notes that it can be a reaction to human rights violations or the result of emotional trauma.
  • The Israeli government's actions in Gaza, including the killing of nearly 53,000 people and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, have been compared to the Holocaust and Nazi atrocities.
  • Aid workers, first responders, and journalists have been deliberately targeted, and ethnic cleansing appears to be next, with Gaza facing a humanitarian crisis due to the lack of food, medical supplies, and fuel.
  • The UN has described Israel's actions in Gaza as an "ostentatious and merciless... desecration of human life and dignity."
  • Hundreds of Jewish Australians, including the writer David Leser, have signed an open letter expressing solidarity with Palestinians and rejecting the idea that criticism of Israel is antisemitic.

Statistics:

  • Over 40 countries, including Australia, have adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
  • The Israeli government has killed nearly 53,000 people in Gaza, including thousands of children, since October 2023.
  • The majority of Gaza's civilian infrastructure, including schools, homes, churches, mosques, hospitals, shelters, and farmlands, has been destroyed.
  • Over 2 million people in Gaza have been displaced multiple times.
  • No food, medical supplies, or fuel have been allowed to enter Gaza since March 2, 2023.
  • The UN has described Israel's actions in Gaza as an "ostentatious and merciless... desecration of human life and dignity."

Sources:

  • International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, adopted in Bucharest in 2016.
  • Jerusalem Declaration, drafted by hundreds of leading scholars in 2020.
  • Open letter signed by hundreds of Jewish Australians, including David Leser.
  • United Nations report on Israel's actions in Gaza.
  • Thomas Friedman's column in The New York Times.

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