Last updated: June 21, 2021

Challenging the IHRA Definition of AntisemitismDate Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

14June2021

An+-Zionism,An+semi+sm,andtheFallacyofBrightLines

INSS/KennethStern “Theweaponiza+onofthe‘workingdefini+on’ofan+semi+smandtheasser+onthatan+-Zionismisan+semi+smasUSgovernmentpolicy(Kushner,2019)clearlyshowthatnotallsuchallega+onsarewrongormadeinbadfaith.LetusnotforgetthatthisscarletleUer‘A’wasadvocatedbytheTrumpadministra+onagainstgroupslikeAmnestyInterna+onalandHumanRightsWatch(withpoten+alimplica+onsfortheirfunding)(Toosi,2020).Letusnotignorethatsomepro-Israelac+vistschampionthechillingeffectofthean+semi+smchargeasagoodthing(Marcus,2013).TheSimonWiesenthalCenterevensaysthatthe‘workingdefini+on’ofan+semi+smshouldbeusedtobar‘IsraelApartheidWeek’oncollegecampuses(SimonWiesenthalCenter,2017).Meanwhile,manymainstreamJewishgroupsnotonlyremainsilentaboutsucheffortsbutcon+nuetoinsistthattheuseofthe‘workingdefini+on’inthiswitch-huntfashiondoesnotrestrictfreespeech.”

6June2021

StephenSedley:StatementonIHRA

FormerLordJus+ceofAppealandJudgeadhocoftheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights;pastvisi+ngprofessoroflaw,OxfordUniversity.

“ItisnowfiveyearssincetheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(theIHRA)publishedwhatitcalled“anon-legallybindingworkingdefini+onofan+-semi+sm”.Itisaclumsypieceofdraeingdis+nguishedbytwopar+cularfeatures:itfailsthefirsttestofanydefini+onbybeingopen-endedandindefinite;anditisaccompaniedbyexamplessomeofwhicharevisiblydesignedtoprotectIsraelfromlegi+matecri+cism.“

10May2021

Pales+nianlivesmaUer,too

TheObserver(studentpaperofNotreDame,SaintMary’s,&HolyCross)/AtaliaOmer,professorofreligion,conflictandpeacestudies

“OneofthesecontroversialIHRA’sillustra+onsreadsthatan+semi+smamountsto“[d]enyingtheJewishpeopletheirrighttoself-determina+on,e.g.,byclaimingthattheexistenceofaStateofIsraelisaracistendeavor.”Ifthisillustra+onappearstoyouasself-evidentlyan+semi+c,youneedtocheckyourethicalblinders.Whatthisillustra+ondoesnotmen+onisthatthefulfillmentofthe“righttoself-determina+on”forJewsentailedtheethniccleansingofthePales+nians.Thisisnot“anopinion”butahistoricalfactestablishedbyIsraeliandPales+nianhistoriansaswellas,ofcourse,bytheintergenera+onalmemoriesofthepeoplewhoresistamnesiainrefugeecampsandthediasporas.Indeed,therealstoryiswhoisomiUedfromIHRAandwhyandwhoseagendadoesitserve?”

23April2021

THEPOLITICSOFADEFINITION-HowtheIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+smIsBeingMisrepresented

JamieStern-Weiner,PhDcandidate,WolfsonCollege,UniversityofOxford

Alsosee:IHRA‘misrepresents’owndefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,saysreport(AlJazeera);HowtheIHRAan+semi+smdefini+onbecameapro-Israelcudgel(MondoWeiss)

“IthasbeenclaimedthattheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)WorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm,‘includingits11examples’,reflectsaninterna+onalconsensusofan+semi+smexperts.Thisreport,basedonmydoctoralresearchattheUniversityofOxford,exposesthatclaimasuntrue:1)Thereisnoexpertconsensussuppor+ngtheWorkingDefini+on.2)IHRA’sdecision-makingbody,thePlenary,didnotadoptanyexamplesof‘an+semi+sm’aspartofitsWorkingDefini+on.3)SeniorIHRAofficialsandpro-IsraelgroupshavemisrepresentedtheIHRAPlenary’sdecisioninordertosmuggleintotheWorkingDefini+onexamplesthatcanbeusedtoprotectIsraelfromcri+cism.4)Theseexampleshavebeenused,inprac+ce,tocensorIsrael’scri+cs.”

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 1 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

22April2021

IfIamonlyformyself,whoamI?ProfessorDavidFeldmanontheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+sm

Vash+/RivkahBrowninterviewsProfessorDavidFeldman(directoroftheIns+tutefortheStudyofAn+semi+sm(formerlythePearsIns+tute)atBirkbeck,UniversityofLondonsinceitsfoundingin2010)

“The[IHRA]workingdefini+onhasbeenwidelyadopted.Formanyorganisa+ons,theactofadop+onbecameaconvenientsymboloftheiropposi+ontoan+semi+sm.Butthedefini+onisnotonlyasymbol:itisalsointendedtobeanopera+onalandeduca+onaldocument.Thisiswhereproblemsarise,andwhyithasbeenimportantforustoofferanalterna+ve.Theworkingdefini+onpointstothefactthatcri+cismofIsraelandZionismcanbecometheseongforan+semi+sm;sevenofits11examplesdealwiththis.Butitisinitsimprecisedealingwiththisthornyissuethattheworkingdefini+on’sauthorscreatedaproblem.Theworkingdefini+onisinvokedinaUemptstoclosedownlegi+matedebateonIsraelandPales+ne.Itscau+ouswordsabouttheneedtoassessanyallega+onofan+semi+sm‘takingintoaccounttheoverallcontext’arewidelyignored.Instead,theboycoUmovement(evenwhenappliedtoseUlementproductsonly)andmildcri+cismsoftheIsraelistatearecondemnedasinherentlyan+semi+c.Wedon’thavetosupporttheboycoUorthisorthatcri+cismofIsraeltorecognisethatthisiswrong.Theabsenceofanymen+onofan+racistprinciplesoruniversalrightsintheIHRAworkingdefini+onmeanthatabusessuchastheseproliferate.Aeermorethanfivedecadesofoccupa+on,seUlementbuildingand,morerecently,aNa+on-StateLawthatformalisesdiscrimina+onagainstPales+nians,thisissignificant.ItshouldbenosurprisethatPales+nianscomplainthattheworkingdefini+onstandsinthewayofthemspeakingabouttheirexperiences.”

20April2021

WhyISignedtheJerusalemDeclara+on:AResponsetoCaryNelson

FathomJournal/DerekPenslar(professorofJewishHistoryatHarvard&ResidentFacultyattheMindadeGunzburgCenterforEuropeanStudies’

“Inrecentyears,theInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)defini+onofan+semi+smhasbeenenshrinedinpolicyandlawbyuniversi+es,civicorganisa+ons,andgovernments.Thisisbizarre,astheIHRAdefini+onwasdevelopedforthepurposeofdatacollec+on,notpolicymaking,anditsauthorsacknowledgeditsproteanstatus.(Itwascalleda‘working’defini+on.)Nonetheless,thisdefini+onhasbeeninvokedineffortstorestrictthefreeandopenexchangeofideasbeyondthenecessitytoprotectpublicsafetyandprohibitdiscrimina+onandharassment.ThemostrecentandabsurdsuchaUempthasoccurredjustnow,atTempleUniversityinPhiladelphiaandStocktonUniversityinNewJersey,whereaco-sponsoredZoomeventonthemisuseoftheIHRAhasencounteredprotestthatsuchaneventisitselfan+semi+c,‘abhorrent,’andan‘abomina+on.’”

19April2021

AbeUerinstrumentforfigh+ngan+-Semi+sm

TheHamiltonSpectator/HarryShannon “theJDArecognizesthatan+-Semi+smisascourgethatmustbedealtwith.Byiden+fyingwhatisandisnotan+-Semi+c,theyhavegivenusadefini+onthat,unliketheIHRA-WDA,iseasytounderstandandcanbeavitaltoolinthefightagainstgenuinean+-Semi+sm.”

19April2021

WhyistheEUhelpingtolabelIsraelcri+cismasan+semi+sm?

+972Magazine/IlanBaruch(Ambassador(ret.)IlanBaruchchairsthePolicyWorkingGroup,acollec+veofseniorIsraeliacademics,formerambassadors,andhumanrightsdefenderswhoadvocateandpromoteatransforma+onofrela+onsbetweenIsraelandPales+nefromoccupa+ontocoexistencebasedonatwo-statesolu+on.)

“Byadop+ngtheIHRAdefini+on,theEUisplayingintotheagendasofIsraeladvocacygroupsthatunderminecivilsocietyworkagainsttheoccupa+on.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 2 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

18April2021

TwoJews,ThreeDefini+ons:NewDocumentsChallengeMainstreamViewofAn+semi+sm

Haaretz/JonathanShamir “TwonewdocumentspublishedbyJewishintellectualschallengetheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliancedefini+onofan+semi+smanditsemphasisonIsrael.”

15April2021

WerejecttheIHRAdefini+on:whyrecenteffortstocombatan+semi+smdangerouslymissthemark

TheMacWeekly(StudentpaperofMacalester)/SophiaSahm&RebeccaDriker-Ohren

"Openlyadop+ngtheIHRAdefini+onleadsins+tu+onslikeMacalestertoplayintothehandsoftherightbydrivingawedgebetweenJewsandouralliesintheprogressivemovement,whileleavingtheactualthreattooursafety—violentwhitena+onalism—untouchedandunchecked.ThetruethreatfacingtheJewishcommunityisan+semi+sm,notconstruc+vecri+cismoftheIsraeligovernment.Andconstruc+vecri+cismofIsraelshouldnotbemistakenforan+semi+sm.WenowcallonPresidentSuzanneRivera,theMacalesterBoardofTrusteesandallotherMacalesterleadershiptomakeastatementcondemningtheaUackonfreespeechthatistheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm.”

15April2021

BaUleofAn+semi+smDefini+onsisActuallyaProxyWarForCri+cismofIsrael

ReligionDispatches/JoshuaShanes(AssociateProfessorofJewishStudies,andDirectoroftheArnoldCenterforIsraelStudies,attheCollegeofCharleston)

“…Therealdebateisaboutcri+cizingIsrael.AlthoughIHRAnotestheimportanceofcontext,inprac+ceitsvaguelanguageandlargenethasbeenmisusedtotargetpro-Pales+nianadvocacyoncollegecampusesandinlegisla+on.Forexample,IHRA’sconcernaboutcri+cizingIsraelbya‘doublestandard’hasoeenbeeninterpretedtomeanthatanyonewhoprotestsIsraelihumanrightsviola+onswithoutequalaUen+ontoothercountrieshasa‘doublestandard’andisthereforepresumedguiltyofan+semi+sm.Itopensupalmostanycri+cismofIsraeltothatcharge.TheJDAaddressesthisandotherproblemswithspecificexamplesofcommonan+-Israelrhetoricthatcrossesthelinetoan+semi+smandspecificexamplesofcommonrhetoricorac+ons(e.g.boycoU)thatdonot.Thelistofsignaturesandsubsequentendorsementsisimpressive,althoughtherehasbeenheatedpushbackbythosewhoinsistthattheIHRAdefini+onmustbemaintained.Indeed,onerespondent—DavidHirsh,authorofContemporaryLe-wingAn2semi2sm(thefocusofhisac+vism)—accusedtheauthorsandsupportersoftheJDAofcomposingthedefini+onnottofightan+semi+smbutto‘fighteffortstofightan+semi+sm’;ofstandingwithan+semitestoprotectthem!ThisisanoutrageousaUackagainstsomeofthemostrespectedscholarsandJewishleadersintheworld.”

15April2021

TheIHRADefini+onofAn+-Semi+smPutsJewsontheWrongSideoftheFirstAmendment

TheNewYorkJewishWeek-TimesofIsrael/JeromeChanes(aseniorfellowattheCenterforJewishStudiesoftheCUNYGraduateCenterwhohaswriUenextensivelyonan+-Semi+sm)

“AtboUom,codifyingtheIHRAintolaworcampusspeechcodeswillhaveachillingeffectoncri+cismofIsrael—especiallyonthecampus—andputtheJewishcommunityonthewrongsideoftheFirstAmendment.Morebasic,aspolicyanalystJonathanJacobysuggests,istheagendaofthosepushingfortheadop+ontheIHRAagenda:‘Theefforttodefinean+-Semi+sminIHRAislargelyaployofthepro-IsraelRighttofightanan+-IsraelismoftheLee.’”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 3 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

15April2021

BetweenAn+semi+smandan+-Zionism:TheIntellectual'sDilemma

Haaretz/EvaIllouz(EvaIllouzholdstheRoseIsaacChairinsociologyattheHebrewUniversityofJerusalemandisaseniorresearchfellowattheVanLeerIns+tute.)

“Incas+ngdissentersandcri+csofIsraelasan+semites,theIsraelipoli+calrighthascreatedanunprecedentedlineoffracturewithintheJewishpeople,onethatprivilegesthepoli+calinterestsoftheStateofIsraeloveritssolidaritywithliberalJews;anditfavorstheaimsofIsraelinternalpolicytothedetrimentofthestruggleagainstan+semi+sm.Thisstrategyhashadstartlingandunintendedeffects:ItlessensthecommitmentofJewstotheirethnicityandreligion,andinsteadmakesthemincreasinglydefinethemselvesintermsoftheirpoli+cs.Theweaponiza+onofan+semi+smwilllikelyaccentuateanalreadydeepdivideintheJewishpeople,betweenthosewhofightan+semi+sminthenameofinterna+onalnormsofjus+ceandthosewhowillmakethestruggleagainstan+semi+smancillarytoIsraelipoli+csofexpansion.”

14April2021

TheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+smandfreeexpression

FreeSpeechonIsrael(UK)/RobFerguson “TheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+sm(JDA)isahighlywelcomedevelopment.Itskeysignificanceliesinitspoten+alformobilisingsignificantlywideropposi+ontotheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)“workingdefini+on”ofan+semi+sm,andaUemptstode-legi+misefreeexpressiononIsraelandsolidaritywithPales+ne.”

13April2021

JewishStudentsatMichiganStateUniversityWithdrawPreviouslyPassedAn+semi+smBillAeerBacklash,‘Weaponized’Process

TheAlgemeiner/SharonWrobelAlsoseereportfromMichiganNewsJournal

“TheSUPRallegedthatthedefini+onprovidedbytheIHRA“limitstheunderstandingofthetruerootsofan+semi+sm[and]playsanac+veroleinsilencingpoli+calthoughtsurroundingtheoccupa+onofhistoricPales+ne.”Instead,theSUPRcalledforadop+ngtheJerusalemDeclara+onofAn+semi+sm(JDA),analterna+veproposedbycri+csoftheIHRAdefini+on.”

12April2021

CUNYStudentSenateVotesDownResolu+onEndorsingIHRA

JewishJournal/AdamBandlerAlsosee:CUNYstudentsenaterejectsduelingresolu+onsonIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm(JNS);‘Itwasadisaster’:InsideafiercebaUleoveran+semi+smatCUNY(TheForward)

“TheCityUniversityofNewYork’s(CUNY)UniversityStudentSenate(USS)voteddownaresolu+onendorsingtheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)defini+onofan+-Semi+smandanotherresolu+onsuppor+ngawatered-downdefini+onofan+-Semi+smaeerafive-hourdebate.Theresolu+onwiththewatered-downdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,whichwasbeingpushedbytheCUNYJewishLawStudentsAssocia+on(JLSA)andStudentsforJus+ceinPales+ne(SJP),definedan+-Semi+smas‘hos+lity,prejudice,vilifica+on,discrimina+onorviolencedirectedagainstJews,asindividuals,groups,orasacollec+ve—becausetheyareJews.ItsexpressionincludesaUribu+ngtoJews,asagroup,prac+ces,characteris+csorbehaviorsthatareperceivedasdangerous,harmful,frightening,orthreateningtonon-Jews.’Italsoclaimedthat‘theequa+onofspeechandac+vityopposingIsraelandZionism,and/orsuppor+ngPales+nians,asinherentlyan+semi+cisaformofan+-Pales+nianracism.’”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 4 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

10April2021

TacklingHate,ProtectDissent

TheBullet/leUertoCanadianMinisterofJus+ce/AUorneyGeneral&toMinisterofCanadianHeritage,fromCanadianorganiza+onscommiUedtothedefenceofhumanrights,civilliber+es,andtheeradica+onofdiscrimina+on

“aclearlinemustbedrawnbetweenbonafidehatespeechandlegi+mateformsofdissentandprotest.Wearepar+cularlyconcernedwithwherethatlinemayfallbetweenclearinstancesofan+semi+sm,ononehand,andcri+cismofthestateofIsrael,ontheother.Thereisaconcertedeffortbysomegroupstoblurthisline.InlockstepwiththeIsraeligovernment,pro-Israeladvocacyorganiza+onsinCanadaareurgingCanadatoconnectthedeeplyflawedandwidelyrejectedInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAllianceworkingdefini+onofan+semi+sm(IHRA-WDA)withthisnewonlinehatelegisla+on…”

9April2021

CUNYStudentSenatetoVoteonResolu+onRejec+ngIHRA

JewishJournal/AdamBandlerTextofresolu+on

“TheCityUniversityofNewYork’s(CUNY)StudentSenatewillbevo+ngonaresolu+onthatrejectstheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)defini+onofan+-Semi+smonApril11.Theresolu+onisbeingpushedbytheCUNYJewishLawStudentsAssocia+onandCUNYStudentsforJus+ceinPales+neinresponsetoaMarchresolu+onadop+ngIHRA.Theresolu+onstatesthattheIHRAdefini+on‘hasbeenusedtocreateafalseanddangerouspolarityofinterestsbetweenPales+nian/pro-Pales+nianrightsstudentsandJewishstudents’and‘endangersanddefamesthoseadvoca+ngforPales+nianrightsasinherentlyan+semi+candhasalreadybeenusedtosmearPales+nian,Arab,andMuslimgroupsandindividualsatCUNY,andtos+flefreespeechandpoli+caldebateoncampuses.’Addi+onally,theresolu+onallegesthat‘theequa+onofspeechandac+vityopposingIsraelandZionism,and/orsuppor+ngPales+nians,asinherentlyan+semi+cisaformofan+-Pales+nianracism’andthat‘an+semi+smisnotanexcep+onalformofbigotry.Peopleandsystemsthathate,discriminateand/oraUackJews,havealsoupheldstructuralracism,patriarchy,andwhitesupremacy.’”

1April2021

TheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+sm-Whytheoldesthatredneedsanewdefini+on.

TheNa+on/BrianKlug(seniorresearchfellowandtutorinphilosophyatSt.Benet'sHall,OxfordandamemberofthephilosophyfacultyatOxfordUniversity.

“Forseveralyears,therehasbeenariseinan+-Semi+cincidentsintheUnitedStates,Europe,andotherpartsoftheworld.TheIHRAdefini+onwaspresentedasatoolforfigh+ngthisscourge,butithasgeneratedwidespreadconfusionandbiUercontroversy—especiallyregardingitsemphasisonspeechaboutZionismandIsrael/Pales+ne.TheIHRAdefini+ontendstodivertaUen+onawayfromthethreatthatJewsfacefromthefarrightandpopulistmovements,dividetheforcesopposingracism(andotherformsofbigotry),andmuddythewatersoverthedifferencebetweenan+-Zionismandan+-Semi+sm.This,inturn,placesunacceptableconstraintsonpoli+caldebateaboutthefutureforIsrael/Pales+neandonprotestbyPales+niansandtheirallies(includingmanyJews).”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 5 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

31March2021

Newdeclara+oniswayoutofan+semi+sm-Israel-Pales+neentanglement

TimesofIsrael(Blogs)/YairWallach(SeniorLecturerinIsraeliStudies,andheadoftheCentreforJewishStudies,inSOAS,UniversityofLondon.)

“TheIHRAworkingdefini+onofan+semi+smwonwidesupportbecauseoftheaUen+onitgavetoIsrael-relatedrhetoric.ButasmanysupportersoftheIHRAacknowledge,thedefini+onhasflaws.Muchofitslanguageisambiguous,imprecise,andopentowildlydifferentinterpreta+ons.Someright-wingelementsaimtouseitinamaximalistfashion,tocurtaildiscussionandac+vismonIsrael/Pales+ne.TheyaUempttocodifytheIHRA(despiteits“non-binding”status)andtogiveitquasi-legalpower.Thishascausedlegi+mateoutcryfromPales+nians,whofaceincreasingrestric+onsontheirabilitytospeakontheirexperienceofinjus+ceandoppression.Asitua+oninwhichthefightagainstan+semi+smispiUedagainstthestruggleforPales+nianrights,isterribleforeveryoneinvolved.Anditdoesnothavetobethisway.”

31March2021

ChallengingAn+semi+sm:WhyCri+cismofIsraelShouldn’tbeSingledOut&OurInterconnectedStrugglesforJus+ce

Tikkun/DonnaNevel “Wedon’tneedmoredefini+ons(ofan+semi+sm)toprotectJewsortofightan+semi+sm,especiallyonesthatcon+nuetoincludeIsraelasapar+cularfocus.Instead,weshouldcon+nuetoputfrontandcenterthecallsfromcommunityaeercommunitythataredoingtheworktochallengeinjus+ce:Ourworkagainstan+-Blackracism,whitesupremacy,Islamophobia,an+-Asianracism,an+semi+sm,transphobia,andallformsofinjus+cearedeeplyconnectedtooneanother.Thatiseasytosay,butwemustprac+cethisinourlives,whichmeans,attheveryleast,notminimizingotherstrugglesforjus+ce,and,atourbest,thinkingtangiblyabouthowconnec+ngourstrugglescanbealivedreality.“

30March2021

Cri+cismofIsraelandItsPoliciesIsn'tAn+semi+sm

Haaretz/OmerBartov(ProfessoratBrownUniversitywhosebook,“AnatomyofaGenocide:TheLifeandDeathofaTownCalledBuczacz,”wasawardedthe2019YadVashemInterna+onalPrizeforHolocaustResearch.)

"TheIsraeligovernmentanditssupportershaveakeeninterestinblurringthedis+nc+onbetweencri+cismofIsraelandan+semi+sm,inordertopaintanysubstan+ve,harshcri+cismofIsrael’spoliciestowardthePales+niansasan+semi+c.Bytheselights,opposingtheoccupa+onisconsideredan+semi+c,BDSisan+semi+c,cri+cismofZionismisan+semi+c,andtheInterna+onalCriminalCourtintheHagueisofcoursewithoutashadowofdoubtan+semi+c.TheIsraeligovernmentanditssupportershaveputtremendouseffortintoadvancingthisno+on…ThiseffortbytheIsraeligovernmentanditssupportersmakesuseofthedefini+onofan+semi+smadoptedbytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)in2016.Sincethat+meithasbeenused,perhapscontrarytotheinten+onofsomeofitsauthors,tos+fleanybi+ngcri+cismofIsraelanditspolicies.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 6 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

29March2021

DerVersucheinerneuenDefini+on[ThetrialofanewDefini+on

Zeit(Germany)/KatharinaGalor(aGerman-IsraeliarthistorianandarchaeologistwithafocusonIsraelandPales+ne.Shehastaughtsince1998atBrownUniversity)

[translatedfromGerman]“Wealltryagainandagain,veryconscien+ously,butwithacertainexhaus+onandhelplessness,tobringthewordsan+-Semi+sm,racism,GermanyandIsraeltogetherintoalogicalconcept.Aneweffortnowdoesjus+cetothis.ItistheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+-Semi+sm(JDA),publishedafewdaysago,involvingagroupoftwentyscholars,mostlyofJewishfaith,mostofthemIsraelici+zens.Itshouldbeaconcise"guidefortheconfused",aguideforallthosewhowanttorecognizean+-Semi+ctendencies,discoursesandac+onsinordertobeabletofightthemeffec+vely.Thedocumenthasnowbeensignedbymorethan200interna+onalscholarswhoaremainlydevotedtoresearchintoan+-Semi+smandrelatedresearchareasandtopics.Itshouldbeunderstoodasanimprovement,asupplementorevenacorrec+onoftheconfusingaUemptoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)todefinean+-Semi+sm.”

27March2021

Over200scholarssaybackingIsraelboycoUsisnotan+-Semi+c

JTA/RonKampeasAlsosee:OpposingZionismisnothatespeech,newan+semi+smdefini+onasserts-AliHarb/MiddleEastEye

“Amongthedeclara+on’sleaddraeersarean+-Semi+smscholarsintheUnitedStates,Israel,GermanyandBritain.“

26March2021

WeNeedaBeUerDefini+onofAn+-Semi+sm

Slate/JoshuaShanesandDovWaxman “theIHRAdefini+on—specificallysomeofitsexamplespertainingtoIsrael—hasbeenmisusedtotargetpro-Pales+nianadvocacy,especiallyoncollegecampuses.Scholars,students,ac+vists,andevenar+stshavebeenbrandedan+-Semites(evenwhentheyareJewish)foropposingZionism,advoca+ngforaPales+nianrightofreturn,orpromo+ngtheBoycoU,Divestment,andSanc+onscampaignagainstIsrael.FormerSecretaryofStateMikePompeoevenusedtheIHRAdefini+oninanaUempttolabelOxfam,AmnestyInterna+onal,andHumanRightsWatchasan+-Semi+cbecauseoftheircri+cismofIsraeligovernmentpoliciesandprac+cestowardPales+nians.UsingtheIHRAdefini+ontosmearorsilencecri+csofIsraelnotonlythreatensfreedomofexpressionandacademicfreedom,asitsownleadauthorKennethSternhaswarned,italsounderminesthefightagainstan+-Semi+smaschargesofan+-Semi+smaredevaluedandincreasinglyperceivedaspoli+callymo+vated.Thisweaponiza+onoftheIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+smhasbeenfacilitatedbyitsambiguity.Althoughitdoesnotsimplyequatean+-Zionismwithan+-Semi+sm,orlabelallcri+cismofIsraeltobean+-Semi+c—assomeopponentsofthedefini+onassert—itsvague,condi+onalwordingisopentomisinterpreta+onsandmisuse.Itscondi+onalphrasing—thatcri+cism“could,takingintoaccounttheoverallcontext”crossthelinetoan+-Semi+sm—istoooeenforgoUen,orevenpurposefullyignored.Someofitsexamplesrela+ngtoIsraelarepar+cularlypronetosuchproblems.”

26March2021

NeueDefini+ondesAn+semi+smus-Begriffsvorgelegt[NewDefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,theconceptpresented]

NorddeutscherRundfunk-interviewwithGermanhistorianUffaJensen

[translatedfromGerman]TheIHRAdefini+on“isveryvagueandveryimprecise.Itsuggests,too,some+meswrongideasintheirnature,asdefinedbyan+-Semi+sm…theIHRADefini+onhasbeenincreasinglydrawnintoapoli+caldebate.Becauseit'sabouthowyouhavetoreadtheMiddleEastconflictandhowonehastounderstandcertaincri+cismofIsrael,whetherthatisan+semi+cornot.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 7 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

26March2021

WasEinsteinanAn+-Semite?

InsideHigherEd/NeveGordon&MarkLeVine “WasAlbertEinsteinanan+-Semite?WasHannahArendt?Theseques+onsmaysoundludicrous.Yet,accordingtothedefini+onofan+-Semi+smthatmorethan30countries--includingtheUnitedStatesthroughtheBidenadministra+on--recentlyadopted,thesetwoleadingintellectualscouldverywellbelabeledassuch.ThisisduetoanopenleUertheysentonDec.4,1948,toTheNewYorkTimes,claimingthattheright-wingHerutPartyinthenewlyformedStateofIsraelwas“closelyakininitsorganiza+on,methods,poli+calphilosophyandsocialappealtotheNaziandFascistpar+es…Thedefini+oninques+onisthe2016Interna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)“workingdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,”whichhasbecomeatoolofchoiceforso-calledpro-Israelorganiza+ons.Thisdefini+onshiesthemeaningofan+-Semi+smfromitstradi+onalfocusonhatredofJewsperse--theideathatJewsarenaturallyinferiorand/orevil,orabeliefinworldwideJewish-ledconspiraciesorJewishcontrolofcapitalism,orsomecombina+onthereof--toonebasedlargelyand,itseems,mostimportantly,onhowcri+caloneistowardIsrael’scolonialandrights-abusivepolicies.”

26March2021

WhyISignedtheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+sm

JewishCurrents/BarryTrachtenberg “ItisregreUablethatmorethanayear’sworthofintellectual+meandenergyhadtobespentonthisini+a+ve,whichrisksfurtherclassifyingspeechconcerningJewsasa“specialcase”thatrequiresitsownsetofguidelines.However,thedamagedonebytheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smisprofound.IthasrestrictedreasonabledebatesaboutIsraelanddonenothingtolessenan+semi+sm.Itmustbestoppedinitstracks.Whateveritsshortcomings,theJDAistheproductofalong,though|ulprocessofethicaldialoguebetweenaninterna+onalbodyofscholarsandabroadrangeofinterestgroups,allofwhomaredeeplyinvestedincomba+ngan+semi+sm.Assuch,itisaworkofconsensuswithwhichIsuspectnoneofthesignerswillbecompletelysa+sfied.Nevertheless,itisanecessarytooltoiden+fyan+semi+smwhiledefendingtherighttospeechandpoli+calac+onthatiscri+calofIsrael.Nowthatithasbeendraeed,wecangetonwiththeworkofdismantlingan+semi+smandsuppor+ngfreedominPales+ne/Israel.”

26March2021

An+semi+smusneuundklardefiniert[An+-Semi+sm,redefinedandclear]

tachles-TheJewishweeklymagazine(Switzerland)/ValerieWendenburg(editorinchief)

[translatedfromGerman]“Well-knowninterna+onalscholarspresentthenewJerusalemDeclara+ononan+-Semi+smandreferencestotheshortcomingsofthean+-Semi+smDefini+onoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 8 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

26March2021

Anewan+semi+smdefini+ontoeaseIHRAconfusion

EUObserver/ByAleidaAssmann,AlonConfinoandDavidFeldman

“Inprac+ce,however,theIHRAdefini+onhasturnedintoasourceofconfusionandconten+on.Thishastodowith11"contemporaryexamplesofan+semi+sm"aUachedtothedefini+on,sevenofwhichrelatetoIsrael.Inprac+ce,theseexamplesareexploitedtodelegi+miseindividualsandgroupscri+calofIsraelorZionismasan+semi+c.Thishasachillingeffectonfreespeechandacademicfreedomanddistractsfromtheacutedangeroffar-rightan+semi+sm.Insteadofunifyingpeopleinordertocombatan+semi+smtheIHRAdefini+onhasunfortunatelybecomehighlydivisive.Itisagainstthisbackground,thatagroupofscholarsfromallovertheworldcametogetherin2020,undertheaegisoftheVanLeerIns+tuteinJerusalem,tocri+callyassesstheIHRAdefini+onandseektoclarifythoseaspectsofitwhichcauseconfusionandconcern.”

25March2021

TheIHRA’sCarelessConfla+onsonAn+semi+sm(andFewAlterna+ves)

UnivofNotreDame-KeoughSchoolofGlobalAffairs/MosheBehar

“…Thedefini+onWilliamsoninsistsonimposingcarelesslyconflates“Jews”with“thestateofIsrael”and“Judaism”with“modernpoli+calZionism.”Theoriginalconfla+onbetweentheseiden++esandphenomenawas—andremains—aninherentorganizingpillarofZionistideology.Self-proclaimedpro-Israelbodiesandindividualsexercisethisconfla+onregularlyintexts,ac+ons,andadvocacy.Itcomesasnosurprisethatthisconfla+onhasoeenbeenreproducedbyIsrael’san+-Zionistcri+cs,at+mesconsciouslyandatother+mesasaconsequenceofinexcusableignorance.”

25March2021

LeadingJewishscholarssayBDS,one-statesolu+onarenotan+semi+c

TheForward/ArnoRosenfeld “BoycoongIsraelandcallingforanendtoitsJewishmajorityisnotinherentlyan+semi+c,accordingtoanewdefini+onofan+semi+smreleasedThursdaybyagroupofmorethan200scholarsofJewishstudies.TheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+smrepresentsthelatestsalvointhedebateoverhowtodefinean+-Jewishbigotryandisthemostpermissiveofthemainstreamdefini+onswhenitcomestoaUacksonIsrael.”

25March2021

Anewdeclara+onaimstofightan+semi+smwithoutcurtailingfreespeech

TheForward/ElissaBemporad(professorofhistory,QueensCollege&CUNYGraduateCenter),AlonConfino(professorofhistory&JewishStudies/directoroftheIns+tuteforHolocaust,Genocide,&MemoryStudiesatUMass-Amherst),&DerekPenslar(professorofJewishhistoryatHarvardUniversity).All3areamongthe200signatoriestotheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+sm.

“An+semi+smisontherise,withpowerfulins+gatorsbehindit,butthestruggleagainstitisatriskofbeingderailedbyacrimoniousdivisionsamongJewsandothersoveritsverymeaning.Thedriveforadop+onofasingle,fixeddefini+onofan+semi+smhasdevolvedintoapolemicalpoli+caldebateonIsraelandPales+newithcrucialfree-speechimplica+ons.TodayweintroducetheJerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+sm,whichwascraeedbyagroupofscholarsfromtheUnitedStates,Israel,EuropeandtheU.K,aeermorethanayearofintensediscussionandstudy.Thedeclara+onhasbeenendorsedby200eminentscholarswithawidespectrumofpoli+calviews.Allofusagreeontheneedforaguidetoeffec+velycombatan+semi+smthatprotectsspaceforanopendebatearoundallpossibili+esaroundthefutureforIsraelisandPales+nians.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 9 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

25March2021

JerusalemDeclara+ononAn+semi+sm

200+interna+onalscholarsworkinginAn+semi+smStudiesandrelatedfields,includingJewish,Holocaust,Israel,Pales+ne,andMiddleEastStudies.

“TheIHRADefini+onincludes11“examples”ofan+semi+sm,7ofwhichfocusontheStateofIsrael.Whilethisputsundueemphasisononearena,thereisawidely-feltneedforclarityonthelimitsoflegi+matepoli+calspeechandac+onconcerningZionism,Israel,andPales+ne.Ouraimistwofold:(1)tostrengthenthefightagainstan+semi+smbyclarifyingwhatitisandhowitismanifested,(2)toprotectaspaceforanopendebateaboutthevexedques+onofthefutureofIsrael/Pales+ne.Wedonotallsharethesamepoli+calviewsandwearenotseekingtopromoteapar+sanpoli+calagenda.Determiningthatacontroversialvieworac+onisnotan+semi+cimpliesneitherthatweendorseitnorthatwedonot.”

24Mar2021

Cri+cizingacountry’spoliciesisnotbigotry

ResponsibleStatecrae/PaulPillar “AmericanJewsarenotresponsibleforthepoliciesandprac+cesoftheStateofIsrael.Infact,theprevailingsen+mentsamongAmericanJewshaveincreasinglydivergedfromthoseoftheIsraeliJewswhoelectthatstate’sgovernment.AmericanJewsareactuallylessinclinedtocondonetheIsraeligovernment’sac+onsthanaremembersofcertainotherreligiousgroupsintheUnitedStates.Right-thinkingAmericanswhounderstandthesereali+esoughttofeelfreetodiscussfranklywhattheIsraeligovernmentdoeswithoutanyimplica+onsaboutaotudestowardtheirJewishcompatriots.”

Also:“ForAmericans,anydispropor+onatescru+nyofIsraelibehaviorisbothunderstandableandappropriategiventheextraordinarynatureoftheU.S.rela+onshipwithIsrael.IfAmericanobserverscri+cizehumanrightsviola+onsbyIsraelmoreoeenthan,say,humanrightsviola+onsbyTanzania,thatispartlybecauseTanzaniadoesnotreceive$3.8billionannuallyinU.S.aidandpoli+calcoverintheformofU.S.vetoesintheUnitedNa+onsSecurityCouncil.Moreover,Israelhasinten+onallycreatedasitua+onintheoccupiedterritoriesthatissuigeneris,notsubjecttoevalua+onthatcanbewhollyappliedelsewhere,andthatenablesIsraeltoapplyitsownformofdoublestandard.NootherstatehaskeptitsboundariesundefinedinthewayIsraelhas.ThisenablesIsraeltotreatterritoryasitsownforsomepurposes(suchasbuildingseUlementsandapplyingIsraelilaw)andnotitsownforotherpurposes(suchasdisavowinganyresponsibilityforvaccina+ngPales+nianArabresidentsforCOVID-19).”

23Mar2021

JewishFacultyinCanadaAgainsttheAdop+onoftheIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm

140prominentJewishscholarsfromacrossCanada[per@FacultyJewishtweet]

“Wearespecificallyconcernedwithrecentlobbyingonourcampusesfortheadop+onoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)workingdefini+onofan+semi+sm…Notonlydoesitessen+alizeJewishiden+ty,culture,andtheology,italsoequatesJewishnessandJudaismwiththeStateofIsrael–effec+velyerasinggenera+onsofdebatewithinJewishcommuni+es.Theissueispar+cularlypressingastheIHRAworkingdefini+onhasbeeninvokedbythoseseekingtointerferewithcollegialgovernanceandstudentlifeatCanadianuniversi+es.TheIHRAworkingdefini+ondistractsfromexperiencesofan+-Jewishracism,andthreatenstosilencelegi+matecri+cismofIsrael’sgraveviola+onsofinterna+onallawanddenialofPales+nianhumanandpoli+calrights.Oncampuseswherethisdefini+onhasbeenadoptedithasbeenusedtoin+midateandsilencetheworkofunions,studentgroups,academicdepartmentsandfacultyassocia+onsthatarecommiUedtofreedom,equalityandjus+ceforPales+nians.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 10 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

17Mar2021

USJewishscholarspushan+-Semi+smdefini+onallowingmoreIsraelcri+cism

JTA/RonKampeasTextoftheNexusDocument

“'Payingdispropor+onateaUen+ontoIsraelandtrea+ngIsraeldifferentlythanothercountriesisnotprimafacieproofofan+-Semi+sm,”theNexusdefini+onsays.“Therearenumerousreasonsfordevo+ngspecialaUen+ontoIsraelandtrea+ngIsraeldifferently,e.g.,somepeoplecareaboutIsraelmore;othersmaypaymoreaUen+onbecauseIsraelhasaspecialrela+onshipwiththeUnitedStatesandreceives$4billioninAmericanaid.’”

1Mar2021

EuropeanCommission"Handbook"entrenchescontroversialIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

11.11.11(BelgianNGOpla|orm) “On7January2021,theEuropeanCommissionreleaseda"Handbookfortheprac+caluseoftheIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm".ThisHandbookentrenchesthecontroversialIHRAdefini+onacrossmanypolicyareasandfacilitatesthepoli+calinstrumentaliza+onofthefightagainstan+semi+sm.”

1Mar202

UCLboard’sIHRAdecisionisanopportunity,notathreat

TimesofIsrael(Blogs)/UCLstudentsleUersignedbyDanielLubin,FrancescaKurlansky,ManyaEversley,CharleyKatan,&JakeCohen.

“TheUCLboard’srecommenda+onshouldnotbeunderstoodasathreat–ratheritisanopportunity.SomeJewishstudentshaveacknowledgedthedefini+on’simperfec+onsbutregreUedthatthereisnoalterna+ve.Nowisthe+meforourcommunitytoseekanewframeworkthatnotonlyactuallyprotectsJewsbutdoessowithoutcompromisingothermarginalisedgroupsandfreespeech.Asan+semi+smincreasesweshouldnotseUleforafaultysafeguard.WecanandmustdobeUerthantheIHRA.”

21Feb2021

U.S.JewishGroupsWanttoFightAn+semi+sm,butStruggletoAgreeWhatItIs

Haaretz/DanielleZiri “LeadingHolocaustscholarProf.DeborahLipstadtagreesthatifyoulookattheIHRAdefini+on,‘youwon’tfindright-wingan+semi+smthere:youwon’tfindPiUsburghthere;youwon’tfindPowaythere;youwon’tfindHalle,Germany,there;youwon’tfindwhatwesawfromsomeofthegroupsonJanuary6attheCapitolthere.’Butforher,shetoldHaaretzinaZoominterviewlastweek,thebigques+onisabouthowthedefini+onisapplied.‘IfIcallsomeoneanan+semite,itshouldhavethes+ngofathousandcuts,’shesaid.‘Itshouldneverbeusedlightly,itshouldneverbeusedfrivolously.’”

20Feb2021

Theconflictovertheconflict

TimesofIsrael(Blogs)/SteveSheffey,“Pro-Israelwriterandac+vist”

“WhenwetreatcampusdebatesaboutIsraelasiftheoutcomeofacampusdisputewillmateriallyaffectIsrael,whenweactasifthepassageofanon-bindingBDSresolu+onwillmakeevenarippleofdifferenceintherealworld,wesellourkidsshort.Thesearetheharddebatesaboutimportantideasthatourkidsshouldbehavingincollege.That’showtheylearntothink,howtohandlehardconversa+ons,andhowtoreassesstheirownbeliefs.Byforfei+ngontheirbehalfopportuni+esforthemtolearnhowtothink–orworse,byaUemp+ngtosuppressspeechwedon’twanttohear,whichisthean+thesisofwhattheFirstAmendmentandourJewishtradi+onatitsbeststandsfor–wecannothopetowininthemarketplaceofideasbecausewearen’tteachingourkidshowtocompeteinthatmarketplace.Andthat’sashanda.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 11 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

18Feb2021

CJPMEtoFacebookandTwiUer:Don'tAdoptIHRA

CJPME “CJPMEopposestheIHRAworkingdefini+onofan+semi+sm,andpar+cularlyitsillustra+veexamples,ofwhich7outof11men+oncri+cismofIsraelorZionism.Takentogether,weandoursupportersareconcernedthatthedefini+onanditsexamples,ifadoptedbyFacebook,willbeusedtos+flefreespeechandac+vismrelatedtoIsraelandPales+ne.OurconcernsaboutIHRAaresharedbytheCanadianLabourCongress,theCanadianFedera+onofStudents,theBCCivilLiber+esAssocia+on,morethan550academics,andmanyothercivilsocietygroups.CJPMEbelievesthattheIHRAdefini+onisfartooambiguoustobeusefulfordetermininginstancesofan+semi+sm.Instead,itisoeenincorrectlyappliedinawaythatsilencesPales+niansandothercri+csofIsrael.”

12Feb2021

UCLboardrejectsIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

TheGuardian/RachelHallUCLstatement[“…Followingathough|uldebatethisweekwhichuniversallyreaffirmedthiscommitmenttotacklingan+-semi+sm,amee+ngofUCL’sAcademicBoardvotedtomakeanadvisoryrecommenda+ontoCounciltofindanalterna+vedefini+ontotheIHRA.Councilwillnowconsiderthisrecommenda+onandwillcon+nuetoconsultandlistentotheviewsoftheen+reUCLcommunityonthisandotherissues.”]Also:UCLacademicboardurgesuniversityto'replace'IHRAan+semi+smdefini+on(MiddleEastEye);UCL’sAcademicBoardfindstheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smnotfitforpurpose(Pales+neSolidarityCampaign)

“UniversityCollegeLondon’sgoverningbodywillreconsideritsdefini+onofan+semi+smaeeraninternalacademicboardrejectedtheuseoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance’sdefini+on,whichtheuniversityhadadopted.TherevoltbysenioracademicsattheLondonuniversityisthelatestincidentinanemergingtusslewiththegovernmentandtheeduca+onsecretary,GavinWilliamson,wholastyearthreatenedsanc+onsagainstuniversi+esthatfailedtoadopttheIHRAdefini+on.ThevotebyUCL’sacademicboardcallsontheuniversityto‘retractandreplaceIHRAworkingdefini+onwithamoreprecisedefini+onofan+semi+sm’.”

11Feb2021

TheIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+smderailsourfightagainstitoncampus

TimesofIsrael(Blogs)/MoriahRichman(FSUStudent/JStU) “ForJewishstudentsacrosstheUSA,thecampaigntocodifytheIHRAanduseittosuppressspeechoncampuscomesatapar+cularlyunhelpfulmoment.Inourworktofightan+-Semi+smandinjus+ceoncampus,ourfocusisontryingtobuildbridgeswithcommuni+esacrossthespectrumofcampuslife,underscoringourcommoncauseinfigh+ngagainstan+-Semi+sm,Islamophobiaandsystemicracialinjus+ce.IftheIHRAdefini+oniscodifiedna+onally,wefearthatright-wingadvocacygroupswilldoastheyhavedoneonourcampuses—distractfromrealan+-Semi+smbyturningitintoapoli+calfootball,andworkingtosilenceallmannerofprogressiveJewishandPales+nianrightsgroupstofurthertheirpoli+calagenda.”

11Feb2021

Facebookmightcensorcri+cismofZionists.That’sdangerous

TheGuardian/RabbiAlissaWise(JVP) “It’simpera+vethatwedismantlean+semi+sminallitsmanifesta+ons,butconfla+ngZionismwiththeJewishpeopleonlyentrenchesit.Facebookshouldnotallowgovernmentstoblurthelinesbetweenhatespeechandpoli+calspeech,anditmustpriori+zerevisi+ngexis+ngpoliciesthatdispropor+onatelycensorPales+niansandothermarginalizedvoicespos+ngabouttheirexperiencesofracismandstateviolence.Wemustallbeabletotalkaboutourlivesandtheissuesthataremostimportanttous,whileneverlosingsightofthefactthatPales+niansandJewsdeservesafetywhereverweare.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 12 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

10Feb2021

TheIHRAdefini+onshouldnotbeusedtobanfreespeech-andthatincludesKenLoach

TheJewishChronicle(UK)/LordMann “TheJewishcommunityhasneverbeenafraidofdemocra+cdebate,indeedthecommunityseemstorelishit.Students,includingJewishstudents,areen+tledtobediscomfortedandchallengedbydifferentideasandperspec+vesandthisisanessen+alpartofuniversitylife.TheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smdoesnotandshouldnotbeusedtorestrictacademicfreedomofspeechorofresearch.Iwelcomeuniversi+esbeingunequivocalintheirprotec+onofallacademicfreedomstoteach,toresearch,andtocooperatewithotheracademicsandins+tu+ons.AnybarriertothisunderminestheBri+shconceptofdemocracyandliberty.”

10Feb2021

WedisagreeabouttheWorkingDefini+on.That’sOK.Here’swhat’snot.

TimesofIsrael/KenStern “Theques+onoftheauthorshipisasideshow.Butmyroleasleaddraeerhas,unques+onably,givenmeapla|ormtoaddresstheintendedusesandtroublingabuses,especiallytheweaponiza+onofthedefini+onagainstpoli+calspeech.Icon+nuetobelievethedefini+onhasappropriateapplica+onsfordatacollec+on,forgivingguidanceonhatecrimes(becauseitsaysyoudon’thavetoanalyzewhethersomeonereallyhatedJews,butratheriftheyinten+onallyselectedaJewishtarget,includinginresponsetoaneventinIsrael),andfordiploma+cpurposes,likewhentheleaderofacountrycallsforwipingIsraeloffthemap.Idisagreewithmyformercolleagues,inpar+cularabouthowthedefini+onshouldbeusedoncampus.Wealsoapparentlydisagreeaboutitbeingemployedtosuppresspoli+calspeechoutsidethecampus,forinstancevialawsrequiringthosewhocontractwithstategovernmentssignanew-dayloyaltyoaththattheyareagainstboycoongIsrael,orasformerSecretaryofStatePompeoproposed,asabasisfordeclaringcertainhumanrightsgroupslikeAmnestyInterna+onalandHumanRightsWatchan+-Semi+candthreateningtheirfunding.Iremainmostconcernedthatstrongproponentsofthecampusapplica+onofthedefini+on,liketheSimonWiesenthalCenter,applaudwhenpoli+calspeechiscensored,andthatothers–includingmainstreamJewishorganiza+onsandformercolleagues–remainsilent,apparentlynotseeingaproblem.”

9Feb2021

Imposinganan+semi+smdefini+ononacademicsunderminesfreedom

TimesHigherEduca+on/HagitBorer,professoroflinguis+csandheadofdepartmentatQueenMaryUniversityofLondon(originallypublishedhere).

"Figh+ngan+semi+smisamust,buttheIHRAdocumentunderminesthatfight,threateningfreespeechandacademicfreedom,whilecons+tu+nganaUackonthePales+nianrighttoself-determina+onandonthestruggletodemocra+seIsrael.Intheunfoldingdebate,myvoiceasanacademicandanIsraelidissidentdeservestobeheard.Idonotstandalone;morethan60IsraelisinUKacademiahaverecentlywriUenanopenleUertoourvice-chancellorsandacademicsenates,urgingthemtorejecttheIHRAworkingdefini+on.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 13 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

9Feb2021

JewishCouncilonUrbanAffairsopposesgovernmentuseofIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

JewishCouncilonUrbanAffairs “AsaJewishorganiza+ondedicatedtosocialjus+ce,wearedeeplycommiUedtothefightagainstan+semi+sm.Webelievethatadop+ngtheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance’s(IHRA)WorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+smatthecityorstatelevelisnotaneffec+vestrategytofightan+semi+smasitexiststoday.JCUAjoinsJewishorganiza+onssuchastheUnionforReformJudaismandBendtheArcinexpressingconcernthatpoli+cizingthedefini+onofan+semi+smcouldbeusedtocriminalizefreespeechratherthanprotectJewishsafety.LegaltoolstoprosecutehatecrimesagainstJewishpeoplealreadyexist.Inourworkoneconomic,racial,andimmigra+onjus+cethroughoutChicago,wehavelearnedthataddi+onalcriminaliza+ondoesnotmakeourcommuni+essafer.”

9Feb2021

Bri+shuniversi+esmuststandfirmagainstgovernment's'an+semi+sm'ul+matum

MiddleEastEye/JamieStern-Weiner “Pro-Israelcampaignershavethemselvesdismissedtheactualtwo-sentencedefini+onas“verygeneralistandvague”(CampaignAgainstAn+semi+sm)oreven“totallyneutered…[and]unmooredfromanycurrentreality”(SimonWiesenthalCenter).Butitcans+llserveasaninoffensivecoverunderwhichtosmugglespuriousexamplesofan+semi+smthats+gma+seanycri+cismofIsrael.Iftherewereanydoubtonthisscore,here’swhataseniorofficialatIsrael’sMinistryofForeignAffairssaid:“TheIHRAdefini+onisinitselfaminimalistdefini+on.Whatturnsitintoanessen+aldefini+oninoureyesisthelistofexamples.”Oneleadingpro-Israelorganisa+onwentsofarastoinsistthat“essen+allythedefini+onistheexamples”.Inprac+ce,pro-Israeladvocacygroupshavewieldedthisdefini+onofan+semi+smwith“thesubtletyofamallet”-Iamquo+ngoneofitsauthors-tos+flespeechoncampuses."

6Feb2021

CodifyingIHRA’sdefini+onofan+semi+smaslawisharmful-opinion

JerusalemPost/NadavTamir "Ifopposi+ontoorcri+cismofZionismisan+semi+c,thenasignificantpartoftheJewishpeopleinthepastwasan+semi+c,includingorganiza+onsthattodayaresupportersoftheStateofIsraelandfightersagainstan+semi+sm.ThetwoendsofthespectrumintheJewishreligiousmovements–theultra-OrthodoxontheonehandandtheReformmovementontheother–alsoopposedZionism,anditwouldberidiculoustosaythattheywerean+semi+c.Therearealsomanywhoopposena+onalismofanykind,includingZionism.TherearemanyJewsintheBDSmovement,andfalselyportrayingthemasan+semi+cor‘self-ha+ngJews’harmsboththefightagainstan+semi+smandthefightagainstBDS,whichshouldbebasedinlegi+mate,substan+vecri+queandnotonexaggeratedsmears.Accusingcri+csofIsraelandZionismofan+semi+smpushesmanywhoresentthemanipula+veuseofJewishvic+mhoodtoavoidaprincipleddebateontheirclaimsintothearmsofBDS.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 14 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

4Feb2021

Facebook'sLatestProposedPolicyChangeExemplifiestheTroubleWithModera+ngSpeechatScale

ElectronicFron+erFounda+on(EFF)/JillianC.YorkandDavidGreene

“Accordingtoreports,thecompanyisunderpressuretoadopttheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance’sworkingdefini+onofan+-semi+sm,whichfunc+onallyencompassesharshcri+cismofIsraelwithinit.Thisdefini+onhasbeencri+cizedbyothersintheJewishcommunity.Agroupof55scholarsofan+-semi+sm,JewishhistoryandtheIsraeli-Pales+nianconflictcalledit‘highlyproblema+candcontroversial’.AUS-basedgroupcalledJewishVoiceforPeace,workingincollabora+onwithanumberofJewish,Pales+nian,andMuslimgroups,haslaunchedacampaigntourgeFacebooknottoinclude‘Zionist’asaprotectedcategorytotheirhatespeechpolicy.Whilethereisnodenyingthat‘Zionist’canbeusedasaproxyfor‘Jewish’inwaysthatarean+-semi+c,theterm’smyriadusesmakeitaprimeexampleofwhatmakesmodera+onatscaleanimpossibleendeavor.”

4Feb2021

We66Bri+shacademicsandIsraelici+zensrejectthegovernment’simposi+onoftheIHRA

Vash+Media(UK)(Ar+cleabouttheleUerishere)

“UKuniversi+esmustremainfirmintheircommitmenttoacademicfreedomandfreedomofspeech,andtothefightagainstallformsofracism,includingan+semi+sm.TheflawedIHRAdefini+ondoesadisservicetobothofthesegoals.WethereforecallonacademicsenatesinEnglandtorejectthegovernmentaldecreetoadoptitor,whereadoptedalready,torevokeit.”

4Feb2021

HowshouldUSan+-Semi+smbedefinedintheBidenera?

NewStatesman/EmilyTamkin “TheissuebeforeJewishgroupsofwhetherornottoadoptthisdefini+on–and,cri+cally,whethertopushtohavethispar+culardefini+onfurtherinformUSpolicy–isoneofdebateintheAmericanJewishcommunityandacrosstheAmericanJewishins+tu+onalspectrum.It’sadebateaboutfreespeech,aboutpowerandaboutwhogetstospeakforAmericanJews.”

4Feb2021

Ar+stslikemearebeingcensoredinGermany–becausewesupportPales+nianrights

TheGuardian/BrianEno "Recently,anexhibi+onofmyartworkwascancelledinitsearlystagesbecauseIsupportthenonviolent,Pales+nian-ledBoycoU,DivestmentandSanc+ons(BDS)movement.Thecancella+onwasneverpubliclydeclared,butIunderstandittohavebeentheconsequenceofculturalworkersinGermanyfearingthattheyandtheirins+tu+onwouldbepunishedforpromo+ngsomeonelabelledas‘an+semi+c’.Thisistheworkoftyranny:createasitua+onwherepeoplearefrightenedenoughtokeeptheirmouthsshut,andself-censorshipwilldotherest…WeshouldallbealarmedbythisnewMcCarthyism.Ar+sts,likeallci+zens,mustbefreetospeakoutandtakemeaningfulac+on,includingprincipledboycoUs,againstsystemsofinjus+ce.Ifleeunchallenged,thesilencingofdissentandthemarginalisa+onofminoritygroupswillnotstopwithPales+niansandthosewhosupportthem.”

03Feb2021

QuickFacts:TheIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+-Semi+sm

Ins+tuteforMiddleEastUnderstanding(IMEU) “Itconflateslegi+matecri+cismofIsraelwithan+-Semi+sm…Itconflatesan+-Zionismwithan+-Semi+sm…Itthreatensfreedomofspeech&academicfreedom”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 15 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

31Jan2021

Facebookisgeongpulledintoafightaboutthepoli+csofIsrael

TheVerge/RussellBrandom “OnNovember10th,aFacebookemployeesentoutanunusualemailtoanunknownoutsideparty,hopingtoarrangeaconversa+onabouthowthepla|ormmoderatedagainstan+-Semi+sm.‘Wearelookingattheques+onofhowweshouldinterpretaUackson‘Zionists,’’readstheleUer,whoserecipientwasredacted,'todeterminewhetherthetermisaproxyforaUackingJewishorIsraelipeople.’Thatstrangebutseeminglyinnocuousemailhassetoffafirestormincertaincornersofthelee.SinceTuesday,ac+vistshavebeencircula+ngape++oncallingonthepla|ormtohaltanypoten+alchangestothewayFacebookmoderatestheword‘Zionist.’Bothsidesagreethetermisoeenusedaspartofracistrhetoricthatisaccuratelydescribedashatespeechandshouldberemoved.Atthesame+me,thetermisalsousedbyJewishcri+csofspecificIsraelipolicies,par+cularlythecountry’sseUlementpolicy.Classifyingthetermashatespeechwouldendups+flingthosecri+cisms—atleastonFacebook.”

31Jan2021

HowtheIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+smisshieldingIsraelfromcri+cism

CanadianDimension/FitsumAreguy "GregBird,aWilfridLaurierUniversityprofessor,saidthattheIHRAdefini+onisdesignedtolimitthescopeofsuchcri+cismofIsrael.Lightcri+cismisallowed,butnothingthataddressesIsrael’sfounda+onalstructures,ethno-na+onalistideologies,andlargerseUlercolonialproject.Birdisoneofover450CanadianacademicswhosignedaleUertoopposetheIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm.Healsonotedthattheshortdefini+onlacksanan+-racistanddecolonialframework…”

29Jan2021

Newchairofequali+eswatchdogisagainstcallforunistoadoptIHRA

JewishNews/TimesofIsrael(UK) “ThenewchairoftheEqualityandHumanRightsCommissionhassaidthatsheisagainstthecallforuniversi+estosignuptotheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)workingdefini+onofan+semi+sm.SpeakinginapersonalcapacityduringaHouseofLordsdebatearoundan+semi+smoncampus,BaronessFalknersaid:‘IamafraidthatIdonotsupportthecallforanIHRAdefini+on.’Shesaiditwas‘xtremelypoorlywordedandprobablyunac+onableinlaw,’addingthatit‘directlyconflictswiththedutyonuniversi+estoprotectfreespeech’.”

28Jan2021

BRISMESStatementRegardingtheIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm

Bri+shSocietyforMiddleEasternStudies(BRISMES) “Foundedin1973,BRISMESaimstoencourageandpromotethestudyoftheMiddleEastregion,andtoprovideaforumforeducatorsandresearchersworkinginMiddleEastStudies.Aspartofourremit,wearecommiUedtosuppor+ngacademicfreedom,par+cularlyinrela+ontoissuesinvolvingdiscussionsoftheregion.ItispreciselywithinthiscontextthatasexpertsontheregionwehavestudiedandanalysedtheIHRAdefini+onandconsultedwidely.Whilewewelcomestepstorootoutan+semi+smandallformsofracismfromuniversitycampuses,wehavecometotheconclusionthatthispar+culardefini+onrisksconfla+ngcri+cismofIsraelwithan+semi+smandwillhaveadetrimentalimpactonresearchersandstudents.Itisespeciallytellingthatoftheelevenillustra+veexamplesthedefini+onreliesupon,sevenrelatetoIsrael.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 16 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

26Jan2021

Thirty-ninewordsaboutan+semi+smarespliongtheJewishcommunity

TheForward/ArnoRosenfeld “There’sastormbrewingintheAmericanJewishcommunityoveradefini+onofan+semi+smthatappears,uponfirstglance,quitebanal.‘An+semi+sm,’itreadsinpart,‘isacertainpercep+onofJews,whichmaybeexpressedashatredtowardJews.’Butthelanguage,adoptedbytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliancein2016,comespackagedwithahostofexamplesthatdescribevariouscri+cismofIsraelasan+semi+c.AsmuchoftheJewishestablishmentmakesfederaladop+onoftheIHRAdefini+onatoppriorityfortheBidenadministra+on,ithasbecomeaproxyforawiderrieintheJewishcommunityoverthepoli+ciza+onofan+semi+sm.”

26Jan2021

RFAExecu+veMo+onOnAn+-Semi+smandtheIHRA

RyersonFacultyAssocia+on(RFA) “BIRT,TheRyersonFacultyAssocia+onunequivocallysupportstheacademicfreedomofitsmembers.Thisfreedomincludestherighttopursueresearchandopeninquiryinanhonestsearchforknowledgethatisfreefromins+tu+onalcensorship,includingthatofthegovernment.WhiletheRFAopposesan+semi+smandallformsofracismandhatred,theInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance’sWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+smposesaseriousthreattoacademicfreedominouruniversity.TheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smmisconstruesan+semi+smtoincludeabroadrangeofcri+cismoftheStateofIsrael.TheIHRAdefini+onthusunderminesimportantan+-racistanddecolonialini+a+vesinCanadianeduca+onalins+tu+ons.Itcanalsobeusedtocensorpoli+calspeechandrestricttheacademicfreedomofteachersandresearcherswhohavedevelopedcri+calperspec+vesonthepoliciesandprac+cesoftheStateofIsrael.SuchtargetedaUackswillhaveachillingeffectontheacademicfreedomofourmembersintheclassroom,intheirresearch,andincampuspoli+csmorebroadly.”

25Jan2021

BendtheArcopposesgovernmentuseofIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

BendtheArc “‘Asanorganiza+oncommiUedtodismantlingan+semi+sm,wedon’tbelievethisapproachtodefiningan+semi+smiswhatwillactuallybuildsafetyfortheJewishcommunity,’saidStoshCotler,CEOofBendtheArc:JewishAcCon.‘Weknowthattoconfronttheincreaseinan+semi+cviolenceweneedtoconfrontthoseresponsibleforusingan+semi+smtomanufacturefearanddivision,notlegalizedefini+onsthatserveasdiversionsfromthethreatsweface.Weneedamul+-prongedapproachthatusestheexis+ngtoolsofgovernmentaswellasstructuralreformsthatensureathrivingandinclusivedemocracywhereeverysingleoneofusissafe,nomaUerourrace,class,orfaith.That’swhywe’vemaderecommenda+onstotheDepartmentsofJus+ceandHomelandSecuritytoaddresswhitena+onalistinfiltra+onoflawenforcementandupdateold,disproventheoriesofradicaliza+on,andcallingonCongresstopasslawsthatstrengthentheinclusivenatureofourdemocracy,whichwillul+matelybuildsafetyforouren+recommunity.’”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 17 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

25Jan2021

ReformJewishIns+tu+onsAffirmIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm[aseduca+ontool,NOTtobecodifiedintolaw]

UnionofReformJudaism-theUnionforReformJudaism,CentralConferenceofAmericanRabbis,WomenofReformJudaism,andARZA:Associa+onofReformZionistsofAmerica

Thegroups“endorsetheuseoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance"WorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm"(IHRA)asatoolformonitoringandraisingawareness”but“weshareconcernsexpressedbyothersupporters,bothintheJewishcommunityandinbroadercivilsociety,thattheexamplesappendedtothedefini+onweredraeedina+meandcontextdifferentfromtheonebeforeustodayandcanobscureevenastheystrivetoilluminate.TheexamplesseekprimarilytoclarifywhenJewsaretargetedforharassmentbecauseoftheirrealoractualconnec+ontoIsraelorZionism.AstatedcommitmenttoIsrael’swell-beingdoesnotprecludean2semi2caAtudes.Atthesame2me,ques2oningIsraeligovernmentpoliciesdoesnotautoma2callydenoteone’sviewsasan2semi2c.“and“severalofthedefini+on’sexamplesinvolveprotectedspeech.Ourcommitmenttoprinciplesoffreespeechandconcernsaboutthepoten+alabuseofthedefini+oncompelustourgeitsuseonlyasintended:asaguideandanawarenessraisingtool.Thedefini+onshouldnotbecodifiedintopolicythatwouldtriggerpoten+allyproblema+cpuni+veac+ontocircumscribespeech,effortswhichhavebeenpar+cularlyaimedatcollegestudentsandhumanrightsac+vists.Iftheeffectofapplica+onoftheIHRAdefini+onistolimitfreespeech,itthreatenstodividethebroadcoali+onneededtocombatan+semi+sm.”

25Jan2021

B’Tselem,apartheid,andcorrec+ngtheethicalgrammaronIsrael/Pales+ne[

Wri+ngFromtheEdge/RobertA.H.Cohen “Meanwhile,wheredoesthisleavetheformalleadershipoftheJewishcommunityanditsdisastrouslove-affairwiththeIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm?It’salreadyadocumentwhichcreatesconflictandsuppressesfreespeech.ButwhathappenswhenanIsraeliNGOhaseffec+velydescribedtheStateofIsraelasaracistendeavor?ThenewlanguageoftruthandmoralclarityshouldtellustofeedtheIHRAdocumentthroughtheshredder.”

24Jan2021

An+-Semi+smandIsrael:Right-wingZionistsplayadeadlywordgame

salon.com/DougNeiss “Sevenofthe11illustra+veexampleslistedarelikewiseunobjec+onable,buttheotherfouraretroubling.TheyallrelatetoIsraelandraisetheques+onofwhetherpromulga+nganewdefini+onofan+-Semi+smisavalidundertakingifthepurposeistoshieldIsraelfromcri+cismasnootherna+onisshielded.MakingIsraelprominentinadefini+onofan+-Semi+smalsoraisestheques+onoftherela+onshipbetweentheJewishstateandtheJewishpeople.Clearly,theyarenotiden+cal,whateverimpressionZionistsmaywanttogive.Foronething,agooddealofthecri+cismofIsraelanditspoliciesthedefini+onseekstoproscribecomesfromdiasporaJews,onandoffcampus.Israel'swatchdogscancalltheseJewsself-ha+ngandexcludethemintheirownmindsfromtheJewishpeople,buttheys+llfeelaneedtomuzzlethemandothercri+cs.Ineffect,theIHRAdefini+onprivilegeshardlineJewishZionistsoverotherJews.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 18 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

20Jan2021

Smearing,SilencingandAn+semi+sm

Obiter(OsgoodeHallLawSchoolCampusNewspaper)/FaisalBhabha

“Thefightagainstan+semi+sm,likethebaUlesagainstallformsofdiscrimina+onandhate,isimportantanddeservespublicaUen+on.TheIHRAdefini+on,andtheaggressivecampaigningofpro-IsraelgroupslikeB’naiBrith,donothingtoprotectJewsfromdiscrimina+on.Instead,theypromoteracism,denigratePales+niansandsmeartheirsupporters.Arguingagainstasmearisnotfairoreasy.Thethreatofcensorshipthatasmearproducesisreal.Itdrivesupthecostofexpression;itcanmakecertaintypesofexpressionprohibi+ve.Smearsseekonlytosilenceandpunish.Thisisathreattoeverybodywhocaresaboutfreedom,notjustthesmeared.Sadly,theclimateisonlyworseningandthoseinpowerseldomhavethewillorcouragetodenouncefalseaccusa+onsofan+semi+sm.Tocounterthistrend,itismoreimportantthaneverforindividualsofconsciencetostandupforfreedomofexpressionrights,par+cularlyofmarginalizedvoicesandespeciallyintheuniversityseong.”

19Jan2021

StellungnahmezumEU-HandbuchzurAnwendungderIHRA-Arbeitsdefini+ondesAn+semi+smus

OpinionontheEUmanualontheapplica+onoftheIHRAworkingdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm-StatementbytheJewishVoiceforJustPeaceintheMiddleEasttotheEUmanualontheapplica+onoftheIHRAworkingdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm

(TranslatedfromGerman)“…thishandbookmakestheshortcomingsoftheIHRAdefini+onanditsexamplesevenmoreofaprac+calbenchmarkforcomba+ngan+-Semi+sm.Eventhemainauthorofthedefini+on,KennethStern,hasspokenoutagainstitsuseasameanstosuppressfreedomofexpression,asitisincreasinglyusedtosilenceac+vistssuppor+ngPales+neSolidarityandtolimittheirscopeofac+onasmuchaspossible.Howisthatsupposedtohelpfightan+-Semi+sm?ItisnotintheinterestsofJewsthattheactualmeaningofan+-Semi+smashos+lityanddiscrimina+onshouldbeconcealedbybeingmixedupwithfactual,cri+calarguments,andthathumanrightsac+vists-includingmanyJews-shouldbedefamedasan+-Semi+c.InsteadofrepeatedlystandingbehindtheIsraelioccupa+onandtheoppressionofthePales+nians,theEUshouldratherfollowitssupposedprinciples,whicharebasedoninterna+onallawandhumanrights!”

17Jan2021

HowIsraelIsHarmingtheWaronAn+semi+sm

Haaretz/NoaLandau “TheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAllianceisaninterna+onalprojectthatseekstodefinewhatan+semi+smisforcountriesandorganiza+onsworldwideinordertohelpthemfightit,legallyandeduca+onally.Onthefaceofit,thisisaworthygoal.Butthedefini+onIHRAadoptedin2016hasbecomethesubjectofafiercepoli+calcontroversy,withtheIsraeligovernmentorchestra+ngandintensifyingthedrama.”

15Jan2021

Handbookforacademics-TheIHRADefini+onofAn+semi+sm&CanadianUniversi+es/Colleges-Whatyouneedtoknow

IndependentJewishVoices(IJV)—Canada/NOIHRA(landingpageishere);byBy:AcademicAllianceAgainstAn+semi+sm,Racism,Colonialism&CensorshipinCanada(ARC)

“Ifadopted,theIHRAdefini+onwillplaceCanadianacademics,especiallythoseconduc+ngan+-racistanddecolonialscholarship,atgreatriskofbeingfalselyaccusedofbeingan+semi+c,whichcouldresultinin+mida+on,censorship,jobprecarity,andcostlyli+ga+on.”

12Jan2021

NewIsraelFund[Canada]changescourseonIHRAdefini+on

CanadianJewishNews “theNewIsraelFundofCanada(NIFC)haswithdrawnitssupportbecauseit,likeotherprogressivegroups,saysthereis“worrying”evidencethattheIHRAdefini+onwillbeusedtosuppressfreespeechbyequa+nganycri+cismofIsraelwithan+-Semi+sm.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 19 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

12Jan2021

ProgressiveIsraelNetworkGroupsOpposeCodifica+onofIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm,Ci+ngStrongPoten+alforMisuse

ProgressiveIsraelNetwork(Ameinu,AmericansforPeaceNow,HabonimDrorNorthAmerica,JewishLaborCommiUee,JStreet,HashomerHatzair,Reconstruc+ngJudaism,PartnersforProgressiveIsrael,theNewIsraelFund,andT’ruah)Alsosee:Lee-wingJewishAllianceCallsonBidentoRejectAn+semi+smDefini+onThatIncludesan+-Zionism(Haaretz);ProgressiveJewishgroupsopposecodifica+onofIHRAan+semi+smdefini+on(JPost);Lee-WingJewishGroups’Rejec+onofHolocaustAllianceAn+semi+smDefini+onMeetsCri+cism(Algemeiner)JerusalemPost:ProgressiveJewishgroupsopposecodifica+onofIHRAan+semi+smdefini+onTwiUerthreads/statements:NewIsraelFund,Truah(andhere),APN,PartnersforaProgressiveIsrael,JStreet,

“Asorganiza+onsthatcaredeeplyabouttheStateofIsraelandaboutthewellbeingoftheJewishpeople,wearedeeplycommiUedtothestruggleagainstan+semi+sm.Wearethusobligatedtoshareourconcernsaboutwaysinwhichtheefforttocombatan+semi+smisbeingmisusedandexploitedtoinsteadsuppresslegi+matefreespeech,cri+cismofIsraeligovernmentac+ons,andadvocacyforPales+nianrights.Inpar+cular,theefforttoenshrineindomes+clawandins+tu+onalpolicytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)WorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm,withitsaccompanying“contemporaryexamples,”riskswronglyequa+ngwhatmaybelegi+mateac+vi+eswithan+semi+sm.Thisefforthascreatedopportuni+esforabuseandpoli+ciza+onbytheoutgoingTrumpadministra+onandothers,underminingthemoralclarityoftheefforttodismantlean+semi+sm.”

12Jan2021

IHRAdefini+onofan+-semi+smis‘notfitforpurpose’atuniversi+es,academicsconclude

MorningStar(UK)/BethanyReilly “Acontroversialdefini+onofan+-semi+smis‘notfitforpurposewithinauniversityseong’andcannotbelegallyenforced,amajorreportbyagroupofUCLacademicshasconcluded.Universi+eshavecomeunderincreasingpressurefromEduca+onSecretaryGavinWilliamsontoadopttheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance’s(IHRA)defini+onofan+-Jewishprejudice.However,thereportpublishedtodaysaysthatthedefini+onis“notfitwithinauniversityseong”andisaweaktoolforuniversityac+onagainstan+-semi+charassment.”

11Jan2021

Israeli-Bri+shAcademicsCalltorejecttheIHRA's'workingdefini+onofan+semi+sm'

OpenleUersignedby63Israel-Bri+shAcademics,toViceChancellors,MembersofAcademicSenates,allotherUKAcademicsandStudents&RtHonGavinWilliamsonCBEMPSecretaryofStateforEduca+on

“Figh+ngan+semi+sminallitsformsisanabsolutemust.Yet,theIHRAdocumentisinherentlyflawedinwaysthatunderminethisfight.Inaddi+on,itthreatensfreespeechandacademicfreedom,andcons+tutesanaUackbothonthePales+nianrighttoself-determina+onandthestruggletodemocra+seIsrael.”

11Jan2011

ImposingIHRAdefini+onrisksincreasingan+-Jewishsen+ment

TimesofIsrael/GeoffreyAlderman “SowheredoesthatleavetheIHRAdefini+on?Evenitscheerleadersagreethatitwasneverintendedtobeusedasalegallyenforceableinstrument,tobeforceddownthethroatsofunwillingandcynicalacademicians–aprocessthatisboundtoincreasean+-Jewishsen+ment.”

11Jan2021

Israel’sLeadersAreTryingtoCanceltheDebateBecauseTheyKnowThey’reLosing

JacobinMagazine/BashirAbu-Manneh(UniversityofKent) "TheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)“workingdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm”hasbecomeahotpoli+caltopic,fromBritaintotheUnitedStates.ThoughtheIHRA’sCommiUeeonAn+semi+smandHolocaustDenialhasdescribeditas“non-legallybinding,”theworkingdefini+onisbeingusedbygovernments,civilsocietygroups,andpoli+calins+tu+onsaspartofaconcertedefforttosuppresscri+cismofIsrael.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 20 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

8Jan2021

Universi+escanbechallengingplacesforJewsbuttheydon’tneedIHRA

TimesofIsrael/MatanRosenstrauch(SOASstudent) “TheiraimistoprotectIsraelfrombeingcri+cizedpublicly,andtheIHRAdefini+onisafantas+ctoolforthemtoimplementthat.ThisistypicalofwhatYairWallach(SeniorLecturerinIsraeliStudiesatSOAS)callsan“Israel-centred”understandingofan+sem+sm,onethatprivilegestheprotec+onoftheJewishstate.Accordingtothisrightwinginterpreta+on,thebestwaytofightan+semi+smisnottostruggleforcivicequalityforallminori+es,butrathertodefendIsrael–evenwhenIsraelbecomeslessandlessdemocra+c.TheIHRAisnotusedtoprotectpro-israelifreedomofexpression,buttoshutanycri+caldiscussiononIsrael,labelingthosewhodaretospeaktoomuchaboutIsraelan+semi+c.”

7Jan2021

An+semi+smdefini+onisunderminingfreespeech

TheGuardian-Lawyersandre+redjudgesarguethattheIHRAworkingdefini+onunderminesfreedomofexpression,andGavinWilliamsoniswrongtoforcefullyimposeitonuniversi+es

Alsosee:Williamsonwrongtoforceuniversi+estoabidebyan+semi+smdefini+on,saylawyers;Legallyandmorallywrong’toforceunistoacceptIHRA,lawyerssayinleUer

“TheIHRAaddedtothedefini+onillustra+veexamplesofstatementsthatcouldbean+semi+c“takingintoaccounttheoverallcontext”.ThemajorityoftheseexamplesdonotrefertoJewsassuch,buttoIsrael.Theyhavebeenwidelyusedtosuppressoravoidcri+cismofthestateofIsrael.Theimpactonpublicdiscoursebothinsideandoutsideuniversi+eshasalreadybeensignificant.”

31Dec2020

Yes,theIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+smisintendedtocensorpoli+calexpression

CanadianDimension/MichaelBueckert-VicePresidentofCanadiansforJus+ceandPeaceintheMiddleEast(CJPME);PhDinSociologyandPoli+calEconomyfromCarletonUniversity.

“Plainly,thebiggestsupportersoftheIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+smseeitasavehicleforshuongdownpoli+calexpressionaboutIsrael,andwanttoapplyittovariousac+vi+es,includingan+-Zionistscholarship,astudentboycoUofIsrael,orevenavotetosupportPales+niansattheUnitedNa+ons.Intheeyesofpro-Israeladvocacygroups,everythingtheydon’tlikecanbesaidtoviolatetheIHRAdefini+on.Thisisnotahypothe+calthreattofreespeech,butaveryrealandtangibleone…IftheIHRAdefini+onisindeedenforcedinawaythatsilencescri+csofIsrael,thiswillnotbe‘distor+on,’a‘misapplica+on,’orevena‘weaponiza+on’ofthedefini+on—itwillbethedefini+on’sintendedoutcome,theverythingitwasbuilttodo.”

29Dec2020

GovernmentadviserLordMannandan+semi+smexpertDavidFeldmanclashoverIHRAdefini+on

TheJewishChronicle(UK)/ecommentsfromDavidFeldman,directorofthePearsIns+tutefortheStudyofAn+semi+smatBirkbeckCollege,London

Alsosee:Twoleadingan+semi+smexpertsclashduringfieryLimmuddebate

"DescribingIHRAasa‘feebleandoutdatedapproach’,ProfessorFeldmansaiditposed‘adanger’,becauseoftheway‘itssupporterscannotagreeonwhatitsays.’Hecharged‘advocacygroups’—singlingouttheSimonWiesenthalCentre—withusingthedefini+onas‘atooltos+flefreespeech’andsaiditwas‘athreattolegi+mateprotest’.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 21 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

28Dec2020

InCanada,theIHRAdefini+onhasbeguntos+flepro-Pales+nianvoices

+972Magazine/ByMohammadFadelandShireenSal+ “Underthisworkingdefini+on,legi+matecri+quesofIsraelanditspolicies,suchas“claimingthattheexistenceofaStateofIsraelisaracistendeavor,”maybecondemnedasan+semi+c.Manycri+cshaverightlywarnedthattheseprovisionsthreatenthefreespeechrightsofCanadiansandwilllikelybeusedtosilencecri+cismofIsrael…TheIHRA’sdefini+on,unfortunately,aUemptstoobfuscatefactsthatareabundantlycleartothosewhoknowthereali+esontheground.IsraelhasalwaysbeenraciallydiscriminatorytowardindigenousPales+nians,includingthosewhoareci+zens,whocompriseabout20percentofitspopula+on.Butthestatehasbecomeevenmoreracistandintolerantinrecentyears.”

23Dec2020

TheIHRAcensorsPales+niansbydesign,notbyaccident

Vash+Media/BenWhite “Astheaboveevidencedemonstrates(anditisbynomeanscomprehensive),theWDAisundeniablybeingusedtosilenceandsmearPales+niansandtheirallies.Furthermore,giventhestatedviewsofthekeyindividualsbehindtheWDA[WorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm],itissimplynotcredibletosuggestthatsuchac+vi+escons+tutea‘misuse’ofthedefini+on.Asthesefactsbecomemorewidelyknownandunderstood,thekindofpushbackagainsttheWDAalreadyseenfromvariousquartersis–andshouldbe–onlysettogrow.”

18Dec2020

IsraelisusingtheIHRAtosilenceitscri+cs

Vash+/JonathanShamir(Haaretz) “ManydebatessurroundingtheIHRA—itspreciselegalandopera+onalreach,therela+onshipbetweenthedefini+onandtheappendedexamples,andtheprecisecontoursbetweenan+semi+smandan+-Zionism—quicklyfadeintoinsignificancewhencomparedwiththewayithasbeenimplementedbyIsraelanditsalliesabroad.WhileleadinglegalscholarshavecastdoubtontheIHRA’sbasisinlaw,areportbyTelAviv-basedInterna+onalLegalForum(ILF)see’sitsefficacyasaninstrumentthatcanbewieldedtoostracisethosewhodon’tfallintoline.‘Evenwithoutlegalforce,IHRAallowsustoproperlyiden+fyan+semi+smandan+semi+cac+ons.An+semi+smcanthenbesubjecttotheproperresponsefromsociety,whichisrejec+onandcondemna+on’,theILFreport’sauthorsnote.”

17Dec2020

Chris+ansandIsrael PlanetMagazine/MikeJoseph(Welshgenocidehistorian) “In2018,betweentheseaandtheriverJordan,thenumberofPales+niansandIsraeliArabsreachedapproximately6.5million,equallingthenumberofJews.FieyyearsofJewishseUlementinPales+nianlandhaverenderedanindependentPales+nianstateunviable,asitwasdesignedtodo.The‘two-statesolu+on’isafic+ondesignedtosilencecri+cismanddistractfromreality.Whatliesaheadisafullyapartheidstate–democracyfortheJews,forthePales+nians,areducedWestBankturnedintoseveralnewGazas,helddownbyIsrael’smilitaryandtechnologicalprowess;aJewishstateunconcernedat‘becomingtheJewishpeople’sworstenemy’,exploi+ngWesternguiltovertheHolocausttodelegi+miseWesterncensureandpar+cularlyJewishcensure,astateconfidentintheferventsupportofthe‘usefulfools’oftheChris+anWest:theexactscenarioforwhichtheIHRA’ssham‘an+semi+sm’codeisdesigned.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 22 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

16Dec2020

ReportoftheAcademicBoardWorkingGrouponRacismandPrejudice

UniversityCollege-London

Alsosee:UCLacademicssettorescindadop+onofIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

“WithregardstoUCLCouncil’s2019adop+onoftheIHRAworkingdefini+onofan+semi+sm,theWorkingGrouprecommendsthatABadviseCounciltoretractthedefini+onandofferaclarifica+onofexis+nglegaldu+eswithrela+ontoan+semi+sm.Thereasonsforthisrecommenda+onhavebeenoutlinedatlengthinthereport,butnotablytheIHRAworkingdefini+onisnotappropriateforadjudica+ngcomplaintsofan+semi+sminaproscrip+vemanner.Aswehaveexaminedindetail,theworkingdefini+onpoten+allyconflatesstatementscri+caloftheStateofIsraelwithan+semi+sm.Byblurringtheseboundaries,theIHRAworkingdefini+onrisksunderminingacademicfreedomatUCL.Initsunevenapplica+onasabasisforcomplaints,itisliabletoleadtoallega+onsthatUCListarge+ngvocaladvocatesofpar+cularposi+onsondebatesrelatedtoIsraelandPales+neandplacingundueburdensofproofonthoseaccusedofan+semi+sm.Asaproscrip+vetool,theIHRAworkingdefini+oncreatesariebetweenvariousgroupsoncampusthatisnothelpfulforcommunalcohesionatUCL.Withoutlegalforceitwillremainadistrac+onfromitsstatededuca+onalpurpose,namelytochallengean+semi+smhoweverexpressed.”

15Dec2020

Howtofightan+semi+smwithoutthreateningacademicfreedom

UniversityAffairs,Canada/ShannonDea-ShannonDeaisthedeanofartsandaprofessorofphilosophyattheUniversityofRegina.

“…mostofthecompanionexamplesactuallysupportimportantscholarshipratherthanthreateningit.Thedifficultycomesinwiththethirdexample:‘DenyingtheJewishpeopletheirrighttoself-determina+on,e.g.,byclaimingthattheexistenceofaStateofIsraelisaracistendeavor.’Thisexamplealoneblockscri+calscholarshipaboutIsrael.”

10Dec2020

Pompeo'sAUackonBDSisAboutProtec+ngSeUlements—NotDefendingJews|Opinion

Newsweek/YairWallach(SOAS) “Thisisthelatest,andmostextremeversionofthe‘NewAn+semi+sm’philosophy:theideathatopposi+ontoIsraelistodaytheprimarymodeofan+semi+sm,becausetheJewishStateisthesovereignembodimentoftheJewishpeople,‘theJewamongna+ons.’IfIsraeliruleovertheWestBankisnowintegraltoIsrael'spoli+calmodel,opposingitis,bydefini+on,an+semi+c.Israel'sethno-na+onalJewishcharacterhastobedefended,evenifitmeansdiscrimina+on,exclusionandoppressionofPales+nians.NothingdemonstratesthismorethantheloomingappointmentofEffiEitam,are+redright-winggeneral,asthedirectorofYadVashem,theHolocaustRemembranceCentreinJerusalem.EitamhadpreviouslycalledfortheexpulsionofmostPales+niansfromtheWestBank,andforthedisenfranchisementofArabci+zensofIsrael.”

10Dec2020

SteeringtheBidenadministra+onwrongonan+-Semi+sm

TimesofIsrael/KenStern “forthepastdecade,Jewishgroupshaveusedthe[IHRA]defini+onasaweapontosayan+-Zionistexpressionsareinherentlyan+-Semi+candmustbesuppressed.Reasonablepeoplecanhavedifferentopinionsaboutwhenan+-Semi+smisreflectedinan+-Zionism.Butisthis–havingthegovernmentlabelan+-Zionisman+-Semi+sm—thenumberonewaywewanttoaskthenewadministra+ontofighttheproblem?”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 23 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

10Dec2020

InGermany,aWitchHuntIsRagingAgainstCri+csofIsrael.CulturalLeadersHaveHadEnough

Haaretz/ItayMashiachTextofGermanculturalleaders(inGerman&English)ishere.NYT:GermanCulturalLeadersWarnAgainstBanonIsraelSanc+onsMovementGermanar+cleinSuddeutscheZeitung;alsosee:NothingCanBeChangedUn+lItIsFaced;InGermany,culturalgroupsworryaboutconfla+onbetweenBDSandan+semi+sm;An+semi+smclaimsmaskareignofpoli+calandculturalterroracrossEurope

“Itisnoteverydaythatabroadanddiversespectrumofinfluen+almembersoftheGermanestablishmentcometogethertoexpressaunanimouscri+calposi+ononthemostsensi+veissueonthecountry’spublicagenda:thebaUleagainstan+semi+sm.InGermany,itcons+tutesnolessthanaculturalearthquake.”

10Dec2020

JewsAcrosstheGlobeApplaudStatementbyPales+nianandArabAcademics,JournalistsandIntellectuals

IndependentJewishVoices(IJV)—Canada “We,Jewishgroupsandindividualsfromacrosstheglobe,applaudtherecentpowerfulstatementandsetofprinciplessignedby122Pales+nianandArabacademics,journalists,andintellectualsregardingthedefini+onofan+semi+smbytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)andthewaythisdefini+onhasbeenapplied,interpretedanddeployed.AstheleUerstatessocompellingly:‘Thefightagainstan+semi+smshouldnotbeturnedintoastratagemtodelegi+mizethefightagainsttheoppressionofthePales+nians,thedenialoftheirrightsandthecon+nuedoccupa+onoftheirland.’”

10Dec2020

JewishFedera+onsUrgeBidentoPromoteControversialDefini+onofAn+semi+sm

JewishCurrents/MariCohen “[Kenneth]Sternspeculatedthatbroaderuseofthedefini+oncouldleadtothefederalgovernmentcurtailingitssupportofhumanrightsgroupsorevenculturalfes+valsbasedontheirstanceonIsrael/Pales+ne.Hesaiditispossiblethatuseofthedefini+oncouldleadtoli+ga+ononcons+tu+onalgroundsforimpedingfreespeechorassembly.”

9Dec2020

Who’sagainstadop+ngtheIHRAan+semi+smdefini+on?

TimesofIsrael(Blogs)/CoreyBalsam(IJV) “theIHRAdefini+onalsohasagreatmanydetractorswhosharplycri+cizethedefini+on,includingitsaccompanyinglistof11illustra+veexamples,andhowithasbeendeployedtoaUackanddiscreditadvocatesforPales+nianhumanrights.AsBirminghamscholarRebeccaRuthGouldargues,theIHRAdefini+onis‘oneofthemostconten+ousdocumentsinthehistoryofeffortstocombatan+semi+sm.’”

9Dec2020

Withthisflawedan+semi+smdefini+on,Britainisclosingdownacademicfreedom

MiddleEastEye/SaiEngler(lecturerinpoli+caleconomyoftheMiddleEastatLeidenUniversity)

“theadop+onoftheIHRAdefini+onwilldoliUleinthefightagainstan+semi+sm-infact,itwilllikelyharmtheabilityofan+-racistcampaignerstofightbackeffec+vely-whileinsteadtarge+ngPales+neac+vistsanddelegi+misingopposi+ontoZionism.”

Dec2020

TITLEVI,ANTI-SEMITISM,ANDTHEPROBLEMOFCOMPLIANCE

JOURNALOFCOLLEGEANDUNIVERSITYLAW(2021)/FrederickSchaffer(From2000to2016,Mr.SchafferwasGeneralCounselandSeniorViceChancellorforLegalAffairsoftheCityUniversityofNewYork)

“Whateverone’sviewoftheextenttowhichspeechthatiscri+calofZionismoroftheStateofIsraelmaybean+-Semi+c,themorecri+calproblemwiththeExecu+veOrderisthattheIHRAworkingdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,withitsillustra+onsthatincludecertaintypesofan+-Zionistoran+-Israelspeech,whenincorporatedintoalegallyenforceabletestfordiscrimina+on,islikelytocurtailorshutdowndebateandtherebyinfringeonfreespeechandacademicfreedom.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 24 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

4Dec2020

Yes,Pales+nianshavetherighttospeakaboutan+semi+sm

TheForward/DavidMyers(teachesJewishhistoryatUCLA,wherehedirectstheLuskinCenterforHistoryandPolicy.HeisthepresidentoftheboardoftheNewIsraelFund.)

"Tos+gma+zeasan+semi+cthosewhoimagineIsraelasastateofitsci+zensorwhoregarditspoliciesasracistiseffec+velytodenythemtherighttoadvocateforjus+ceforPales+nians.Andtoequatetheseadvocatestoan+semiteswhoplotandexecutemurderousaUacksonJewsisadangerousdeflec+on,aswellasaninjus+cebothtothefightagainstan+semi+smandtothestruggleforjus+ceforPales+nians.”

4Dec2020

AmericansforPeaceNowRefusestoAdopt‘Weaponized’Defini+onofAn+semi+sm

Haaretz-HadarSusskind/JimKlutznick(APN)[“U.S.JewishnonprofitsaystheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliancedefini+onis‘alreadybeingabusedtoquashlegi+matecri+cismandac+vismdirectedatIsraeligovernmentpolicies’”]

FulltextofAPNleUertotheConferenceofPresidentsofMajorJewishOrganiza+onsishere

“'Wecannotaccepttheimprecise,overreachingwordingofthedefini+on’sexamples,’theAPNleaderswrote.‘Wecan’tacceptitbecausewearewitnessinghowitisalreadybeingabused,indeedweaponized,toquashlegi+matecri+cismandac+vismdirectedatIsraeligovernmentpoliciesbytarnishingindividualsandorganiza+onsasan+semi+c.’Theseexamples‘crossthelineintotherealmofpoli+csandarealreadybeingusedtoscorepoli+calpointsintheUnitedStates,andtoquashlegi+matecri+cismofdeplorableIsraeligovernmentpolicies,’theywrote.”

2Dec2020

Thegovernmentshouldnotimposeafaultydefini+onofan+semi+smonuniversi+es

TheGuardian/DavidFeldman[directorofthePearsIns+tutefortheStudyofAn+semi+smatBirkbeck,UniversityofLondon]

“Weallknowhowthepathtohellispaved.Butitisawarningworthrepea+ngforGavinWilliamson.Thesecretaryofstateforeduca+onintendstoriduniversi+esinEnglandofan+semi+sm,buthisinterven+onnotonlythreatenstoprovokestrifeandconfusion–italsoplacesacademicfreedomandfreespeechoncampusatrisk.”

29Nov2020

Agroupof122Pales+nianandArabacademics,journalistsandintellectualsexpresstheirconcernsabouttheIHRAdefini+on

TheGuardian "Inrecentyears,thefightagainstan+semi+smhasbeenincreasinglyinstrumentalisedbytheIsraeligovernmentanditssupportersinanefforttodelegi+misethePales+niancauseandsilencedefendersofPales+nianrights.Diver+ngthenecessarystruggleagainstan+semi+smtoservesuchanagendathreatenstodebasethisstruggleandhencetodiscreditandweakenit.”

28Nov2020

UnionmemberscallonKing'sCollegetoletthemcri+cizeZionism,Israel

JerusalemPost “UnionmembersatKing'sCollegeLondonhavecalledontheuniversitytorevokeitsadop+onoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance's(IHRA)defini+onofan+semi+sm,claimingthatitss+pula+onthatan+-Zionismisan+semi+smcons+tutesrevisionisthistory.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 25 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

23Nov2020

Statementfrom420+CurrentUKStudentsonIHRADefini+onofAn+semi+sm

Pales+neSolidarityCampaign “AsstudentsintheUK,wearedeeplyconcernedthatthespacetobringthefactsofthepastandongoingdispossessionfacedbyPales+niansintothepublicdomain,includinginUKuniversi+es,isunderseverethreatbytheadop+onoftheIHRAdefini+onofan+-Semi+smwithitsaUachedexamples.WebelievethattheIHRAdefini+onisathreattothefundamentalrightforPales+nianstodescribetheirlivedexperienceofoppression.Thediscrediteddefini+on,andspecificallyitsillustra+veexamples,conflatesan+-Semi+smandlegi+matecri+cismofthelaws,policiesandcons+tu+onalorderoftheStateofIsrael.”

23Nov2020

TheIHRAdefini+onwillnothelpfightan+-Semi+sm

AlJazeera/MarkMuhannadAyyash-AssociateProfessorofSociologyatMountRoyalUniversityinCalgary,Canada.

“DespitetheIHRA’sclaimthatthedefini+onisnon-legallybinding,thedefini+onanditsadop+on,accordingtoAmericanscholarRebeccaRuthGould,‘comestofunc+onas…aquasi-law,inwhichcapacityitexercisesthedefactoauthorityofthelaw,withouthavingacquiredlegallegi+macy’.Inshort,theIHRAdefini+onseekstomakeratherbanalandsoecri+cismsofIsraelacceptable(eg,policyXfailedbecauseofcertainunintendedconsequences,amisreadingofthepoli+calcondi+ons,etc.)whilecensoringmoreseriousandnecessarycri+ques(ie,thePales+niancri+queofthecolonialfounda+onsoftheIsraelistateandtheneedtotransformthem).”

18Nov2020

It’sNotAboutAn+semi+sm.it’sAboutFreeSpeech

CanadianJewishRecord/AmosGoldberg-HolocausthistorianattheHebrewUniversityofJerusalem

“Unfortunately,thisdefini+on–andespeciallythe11examplesappendedtoitsoriginaltext–helpveryliUle,ifatall,tofightan+semi+sm.Ratherthanhelpingtostampoutan+semi+sm,severaloftheseexamplesactuallyservetocurbfreespeechonIsraelanditspoliciesagainstthePales+nians,shapingthedebateoverIsrael-Pales+neinawaythatprac+callysilencesthePales+nianvoice.”

18Nov2020

Ontario’sadop+onofIHRA’san+semi+smdefini+onisn’tthefirstactofitskindtotargetPales+nians,anditwon’tbethelast.

Passage/DalyaAlMasri-Pales+nianjournalistfocusedonhumanrightsadvocacy.

“theIHRAworkingdefini+onofan+semi+smincludedintheOICwronglyconflatescri+cismofIsraelihumanrightsabuseswithan+semi+sm,therebycriminalizingPales+niansandanyoneelsewhodaresspeakagainstIsraeliapartheid.Forexample,itconsiderssomeonecallingIsraelaraciststatetobean+semi+c.EvenKennethStern,theleaddraeeroftheIHRAdefini+on,saidina2019Guardianar+clethat‘rightwingJewishgroups’havetakenthedefini+onand‘decidedtoweaponizeit’againstpro-Pales+nianadvocacy.”

15Nov2020

Cri+cizingIsraelisnotan+semi+c—it’sacademicfreedom

TheConversa+on/JasminZine,GregBird,&SaraMaUhews(WilfridLaurierUniversity)

“Globally,scholarswhocri+cizeIsraelarefacinganincreasinglyuphillbaUletoprotecttheiracademicfreedom.Attheheartoftheissuereststhenewdefini+onofan+semi+smbytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA).ProponentsoftheIHRAdefini+onarepartofwhatsomearecallinganewan+semi+smmovementthatseekstolabelcri+cismofIsraelasan+semi+c."

15Nov2020

Newhumanrightsorderrisksrestric+ngcri+cismofIsrael

TheConversa+on/ReemBahdi(UnivofWindsor) “IamthefirstandonlytenuredlawprofessorinCanadawithaPales+nianbackground.IcanaUestthatconfla+ngcri+cismofIsraelwithan+semi+smdeeplyaffectsPales+nians.Theconfla+onsilencestheabilitytobearwitnesstotheIsraeligovernment’satroci+esagainstPales+niansatpreciselythe+mewhensuchwitnessingisurgentlyneeded.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 26 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

12Nov2020

WeaponizingAn+-Semi+sm,StateDepartmentDelegi+mizesHumanRightsGroups

TheAmericanProspect/LaraFriedman-Founda+onforMiddleEastPeace

“Tradi+onally,‘an+-Semi+sm’meanshos+lityandprejudicetowardJewsbecausetheyareJews—ascourgethathasimperiledJewsthroughouthistory,andisasourceofresurgentthreatstoJewstoday.TheIHRAdefini+on,incontrast,isexplicitlypoli+cized,refocusingthetermtoencompassnotonlyhatredofJews,butalsohos+litytowardandcri+cismofthemodernstateofIsrael.Forexample,itlabelsasan+-Semi+c‘applyingdoublestandards’toIsraelorrequiringofIsrael‘behaviornotexpectedordemandedofanyotherdemocra+cna+on.Whileitnotesthat‘cri+cismofIsraelsimilartothatleveledagainstanyothercountrycannotberegardedasan+semi+c,’inprac+cethis‘doublestandard’languagehaspavedthewayforaUackingvirtuallyallcri+cismofIsraelasprimafaciean+-Semi+c,basedonthesimplis+cargumentthatfocusingcri+cismonIsrael,whenotherna+onsareguiltyofsimilarlybadbehavior,canonlyreflectanimusagainstJews.Accordingtothislogic,itisan+-Semi+ctochallengeIsrael’soccupa+onofPales+nianlands—unlessoneisequallychallengingoccupa+onanywhere.Likewise,boycoongorcallingtoboycoUIsraelorseUlementstoprotestviola+onsofPales+nianrightsisconsideredan+-Semi+c—unlessoneissimilarlyboycoongeverycountryguiltyofviola+ngtherightsofanypeople,anywhere.TheIHRAdefini+onalsos+pulatesthatitisan+-Semi+ctodeny‘theJewishpeopletheirrighttoself-determina+on,e.g.,byclaimingthattheexistenceofaStateofIsraelisaracistendeavor’—notwithstandingthefactthatotherpeoples,includingPales+nians,aredeniedself-determina+on,andotherna+onshavetheirexistencechallenged,including,forexample,byIsraeliswhoarguethatthestateofJordanshouldbereplacedwithPales+ne.Yet,thislinehasbecomethebasisforindic+nganyonewhoiden+fiesasan+-Zionist,orwhosupportsboycoUsofIsraelorseUlements,asan+-Semi+c,irrespec+veoftheirreasoningandabsentevidencethattheirviewsaregroundedinhos+litytowardnotIsrael,butJews.”

7Nov2020

TheSaturdayDebate:IstheIHRAdefini+ontherightwaytofightan+-Semi+sm?

TheStar[“No”posi+ontakenbyMicheleLandsbergandAviLewis

"Justlikethescorpion’s,thes+ngoftheIHRAdefini+onisinitstail,anappendedlistof11examplesofan+semi+sm.Sevenofthemarefocusedoncri+cismofIsrael.Thispointstowhatisreallygoingon:pro-Israelorganiza+onsarecampaigningfortheIHRAdefini+onsotheycanuseittoshutdownlegi+matedebateofIsrael’spoliciesandtoharassandsilencecri+cs.”

5Oct2020

TacklingtheIHRAWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm

BrianKlug,seniorresearchfellowandtutorinphilosophyatSt.Benet’sHall,Oxford;memberofthephilosophyfacultyatOxfordUniversity

“Defendersofthedefini+onpointtoasentenceinthetextthatsays:‘However,cri+cismofIsraelsimilartothatleveledagainstanyothercountrycannotberegardedasan+semi+c.’Atfirstsight,thisseemstoprovideforfreespeech,butactuallyitdoestheopposite,foritimpliesthatexcessivecri+cismofIsraelis,inandofitself,an+semi+c.Butitisnot–anymorethanexcessivecri+cismofthePLOisnecessarilyracistagainstArabsorPales+nians.Excessivecri+cismisjustafactofpoli+callife,especiallywhenfeelingsrunashighastheydointhecontextofIsraelandPales+ne…Thelinebetweenconten+ousandnon-conten+ousspeechisdifferentfromthelinebetweenan+semi+candnon-an+semi+cspeech(orracistandnon-racistspeechingeneral).Itisvitalthatthesetwolinesareclearlydis+nguished.TheWorkingDefini+onblursthem.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 27 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

22Sept2020

Redefiningan+-Semi+smonFacebook

AlJazeera/NebeGordon-MarieCurieFellowandProfessorofInterna+onalLawatQueenMaryUniversityofLondon.

“Thisdefini+on,whichhasbeenendorsedoradoptedinsomeofficialcapacitybymorethan30countries,includes11examplesofan+-Semi+sm,severalofwhichinvolvecri+cismofIsrael.Thisisjustthelatestconcretemanifesta+onofhowanycri+queoftheIsraeligovernmentanditspoli+csnowassumesthetaintofan+-Semi+sm.Thereis,tobesure,someironyhere.Historically,thefightagainstan+-Semi+smhassoughttoadvancetheequalrightsandemancipa+onofJews.Yet,intheIHRAdefini+onthosewhospeakoutagainstthesubjuga+onofPales+niansarecalledan+-Semites.Thus,insteadofenablingthestruggleagainstthosewishtooppress,dominateandexterminateJews,thisnewdefini+onofan+-Semi+smcomesaeerthosewhowishtotakepartinthestruggleforlibera+onfromcolonialrule.Inthisway–asJudithButlerhasobserved–‘apassionforjus+ce[is]renamedasan+-Semi+sm’.”

7Sept2020

JointleUerof56scholarstoFacebook:Don'tadoptthe“IHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm”

56scholarsonan+semi+smAlsosee:DearFacebook:Pleasedon’tadopttheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

“wewishtoissueastarkwarningagainstadop+onandapplica+onbyFacebookofthedefini+onofan+semi+smusedbytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)…theIHRAdefiniConishighlyproblemaCcandcontroversial…Itisalsonotneutralnornuanced.Theaforemen+oned“contemporaryexamplesofan+semi+sm”aUachedtoitextendtocri+cismdirectedattheStateofIsraelandconflatesuchcri+cismwithan+semi+sm.Theseexamplesaretreatedasanintegralpartofthedefini+on.Worse,theexamplesarebeingweaponizedtoaUack,delegi+mizeandsilenceac+vists,experts,humanrightsdefendersandcivilsocietyorganiza+onscri+cizingtheStateofIsraelandZionismwithinthelimitsoffreedomofspeech.Suchabusehasbeencondemnedbyleadingscholarsofan+semi+sm.”

19Aug2020

Israel-AdvocacyGroupsUrgeFacebooktoLabelCri+cismofIsraelasHateSpeech

JewishCurrents/LaraFriedman-Founda+onforMiddleEastPeace

“asaUorneyKennethStern—anexpertonan+semi+smwhowastheleaddraeeronthetextthatbecametheIHRAdefini+on—hasrepeatedlyexpressed,thisdefini+onanditsexampleswereneverintendedtobeusedasaformalized,enforceabledefini+onofan+semi+sm,andturningthemintoonehasraisedseriousfreespeechconcerns.TheAmericanCivilLiber+esUniondescribedearlyeffortstocodifytheIHRAintolawas‘partofadisturbingsurgeofgovernment-ledaUemptstosuppressthespeechofpeopleononlyonesideoftheIsrael-Pales+nedebate...oncollegecampuses,instatecontracts,andeveninbillstochangethefederallaw.’IfsocialmedianetworkslikeFacebookadopttheIsrael-relatedexamplesintheIHRAdefini+onandallowthesetoguidetheirhatespeechpolicies,itwilllikelyleadtosimilareffortstosuppressfreespeech,this+meintheonlinesphere.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 28 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

31July2018

Pales+niansintheUKspeakoutfortherighttofreedomofspeech

OmarAl-QaPanChairmanoftheboardoftrustees,AMQaUanFounda+on,AtallahSaidChairman,Bri+shPales+nianPolicyCouncil,ProfessorKamelHawwashUniversityofBirmingham,ProfessorKarmaNabulsiUniverityofOxford,NadiaHijabAuthorandhumanrightsadvocate,DrAimeeShalanCharitychiefexecu+ve,BenJamalDirector,Pales+neSolidarityCampaign,MazenMasriManagingdirector,Edgo,philanthropist,SawsanAsfariPhilanthropist,foundereduca+onalchari+es,ZaherBirawiChairman,EuropalForum,SalmaKarmi-AyyoubBarrister,ProfessorSuleimanSharkhUniversityofSouthhampton,ProfessorIzzatDarwazehUCL,DrAdamHaniehReaderindevelopment,Soas,DrDinaMatarSoas,FerasAbuHelalEditor-in-chief,journalist,DrNimerSultanySeniorlecturerinpubliclaw,Soas,DrGhadaKarmiIns+tuteofArabandIslamicStudies,UniversityofExeter,AkramSalhabRefugeeandmigrantorganiser,KarlSabbaghAuthorandpublisher,DrAhmedKhalidiAcademicvisitor,StAntony’sCollege,Oxford,SamirEskandaMusician,SelmaDabbaghAuthor,AhmedMasoudWriteranddirector,OmarShweikiDirector,HEeduca+onalcharity,HannaKhalilPlaywright,KareemSamaraMusicianAhmedZiatHumanitarianaidcoordinator

“AsBri+shPales+nians,someci+zens,otherss+llstatelessrefugees,weremainboundbyourcommonhistory,whenpreviousgenera+onsofPales+nianswereviolentlydeniedtherighttoself-determina+onbytheBri+shcolonialpowerrulingPales+nefrom1918.Deprivedofoursovereignrightstoourland,weweredispossessedofitbyforceintheestablishmentofthestateofIsrael,whichtheBri+shcolonialoccupa+onoversawthrough1947to1948.Thereexistvastbodiesofpubliclyavailablerecords,scholarlyevidenceandofficialtes+moniestoaffirmthesefacts.TherealityofthePales+nianpeople’songoingdispossessionbelongstothepublicspace:Pales+nianpeoplehavetherighttoimpartinforma+onaboutthesepresentandpastinjus+ces,aseveryBri+shci+zenhastherighttohearthisinforma+on,alongwiththeideasandargumentsthatemergedirectlyfromit.Accordingly,anyusebypublicbodiesoftheIHRAexamplesonan+semi+smthateitherinhibitsdiscussionrela+ngtoourdispossessionbyethniccleansing,whenIsraelwasestablished,oraUemptstosilencepublicdiscussionsoncurrentorpastprac+cesofseUlercolonialism,apartheid,racismanddiscrimina+on,andtheongoingviolentmilitaryoccupa+on,directlycontravenescorerights.First,theinalienablerightsofthePales+nianpeople,whoremainprotectedbyinterna+onallawsandconven+ons;andsecond,therightsofallthoseBri+shci+zenswhostandbyourside,inthesolidarityofacommonhumanity.”

28Jul2020

TheIHRADefini+onofAn+semi+sm:DenyingAn+semi+smbyErasingPales+nians

ThePoli+calQuarterly/RebeccaRuthGould-ProfessorofIslamicStudiesandCompara+veLiteratureattheUniversityofBirmingham

“Thisar+cleisamongthefirsttoadoptaglobalperspec+veonthedefini+on—bothitshistoryanditscontent—clarifyingthepoli+calstakesofthisdefini+onandbroaderparatextualapparatusforageneralaudience,andprovidesanexplana+onofwhyitshouldberejectedratherthanusedtocensorIsrael-cri+calspeech.”

8Jun2020

WagingLawfare JewishCurrents/NatashaRoth-Rowland “WhenthedustseUled,theorder’struefunc+oncameintofocus:quashingspeechandac+vismcri+calofIsrael—especiallyoncollegecampuses—andfurtherdelegi+mizingthePales+niancause,usingcivilrightslawasatool.TheorderinstructsgovernmentagenciestoenforceTitleVIoftheCivilRightsActincomplaintsinvolvingan+semi+smoncollegecampuses,andtorefertothecontroversialInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)workingdefini+onofan+semi+smasaguide.Itspecificallynamesasec+onoftheIHRAdefini+onthatlistswaysinwhichcri+cismofIsraelmaybeconsideredan+semi+c.Bytheendofthemonth,threefederalcomplaintshadbeenfiledwiththeDepartmentofEduca+on(DoE)allegingan+semi+smonvariouscampuses.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 29 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

27Feb2020

IndependentJewishVoices:OpenLeUerfrom400+CanadianAcademicsOpposingtheIHRADefini+onofAn+semi+sm

“UPDATED:Over400CanadianacademicshavenowsignedontoanopenleUer”opposingtheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm.”

CanadianFedera+onofStudentsstatementinsupportoftheIJVstance.

“An+semi+smisanimminentandincreasinglydeadlythreattoJews.However,wedonotbelievethattheadop+onofthisdefini+onservesthepurposeofdefea+ngthisinsidiousformofhatred.TheIHRAdefini+on,whichhasrecentlybeenadoptedbytheCanadiangovernment,iswordedinsuchawayastointen+onallyequatelegi+matecri+cismsofIsraelandadvocacyforPales+nianrightswithan+semi+sm.Thisconfla+onunderminesboththePales+nianstruggleforfreedom,jus+ceandequalityandtheglobalstruggleagainstan+semi+sm.ItalsoservestoshieldIsraelfromaccountabilitytouniversalstandardsofhumanrightsandinterna+onallaw.Webelievethattheadop+onoftheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smbyCanadianacademicins+tu+onswouldcreatea“chillyclimate”inrela+ontoformsofteaching,researchandac+vismonIsraelandPales+ne.Weurgeallthosewhovaluehonestdebateandacademicfreedomtorejecttheimposi+onofadefini+onthatwouldimperilthepursuitoftruthandthelegi+mateexpressionofdissent."

20Feb2020

StatesareMovingtoClassCri+cismofIsraelasAn+semi+sm

JewishCurrents/LaraFriedman-Founda+onforMiddleEastPeace

“KennethStern,theleadauthoroftheIHRAdefini+on,haslongmadeclearthatthelanguagewasneverintendedtobeusedthisway,andthatdoingsoraisesseriousfreespeechconcerns.Suchconcernshaveprovedwell-founded,withTrump’sexecu+veorderopeningthedoorforafloodofcomplaints+edtoallegedan+semi+cincidents.Alloftheallegedoffensesrelatetoviola+onsoftheIHRA’sIsrael-relatedprovisions,whichfalloutsidethescopeofwhathastradi+onallybeendefinedasan+semi+sm—thatis,hos+litytowardJewssimplybecausetheyareJewish.Universi+esthathavealreadycomeunderaUackinthetwomonthssincetheissuanceoftheexecu+veorderincludeGeorgetown,Columbia(twoseparateclaims),UCLA,DukeandtheUniversityofNorthCarolina,andGeorgiaTech,aswellasMiddleEastStudiesNa+onalResourceCenters(NRCs)na+onwide.“

30Jan2020

Faultlinesinthefightagainstracismandan+semi+sm

Ins+tuteofRaceRela+ons/LizFekete “ThePales+niandiasporaintheUKisbeingdispossessedoftherighttointerprettheirexperienceoftheIsraelioccupa+onofPales+nianlands,evenasthediversityofJewishopinionintheUKisdenied,leadingtothestereotypinganddenigra+onofdissen+entvoicesofJewishsocialistsandJewishan+-Zionists,whoareindangerofbeingpilloriedas‘fringeJews’.”

9Jan2020

Thescholarwhowrotethedefini+onofan+-Semi+smsaysit’sbeensubverted

TimesofIsrael/ErikCortellessa,interviewingKennethStern “Stern,whonowdirectstheBardCenterfortheStudyofHate,saidthatright-leaningJewishleadershadbeenpushingfortheadop+onofthedefini+onineduca+onalseongsforadecade.‘Since2010,peopleontheJewishrighthavebeentryingtotakethedefini+on,marryitwiththepowersunderTitleVIanduseitasawaytotryandsuppresspro-Pales+nianspeechoncampus,’hesaid.‘AsmuchasImightagreewithsomeofthecri+cismsofthatspeech,there’sawayyoudealwiththatonacampus:Youthinkcri+callyaboutitandpushback.’”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 30 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

January2020

BackgrounderonEffortstoRedefineAn+semi+smasaMeansofCensoringCri+cismofIsrael

Pales+neLegal “An+semi+sm—hatred,violence,in+mida+onordiscrimina+ontarge+ngJewsbecauseoftheirethnicandreligiousiden+ty—isrampantanddeadly.Despitetheclearthreatofan+-JewishrhetoricandaUacksfromwhitesupremacists,however,manyIsraellobbygroupshaveinsteadfocusedonredefiningan+semi+smtoincludecri+cismofIsrael.ThebackgrounderbelowexplainstheaUemptsbyIsraellobbygroupstoredefinean+semi+smtoincludecri+cismofIsraelandtousetheredefini+onasatooltocensorpoli+caldebatebytarringthosewhosupportPales+nianrightsasan+-Jewish.”

January2020

OCCUPATIONandSHRINKINGSPACE-THEATTACKONCIVILSOCIETYINTHEOCCUPIEDPALESTINIANTERRITORYANDINISRAEL

11.11.11(BelgianNGOpla|orm) “Sinceitsadop+on,theIHRAdefini+onhasalreadyproventobeaneffec+vetooltoaUackcri+cismoftheStateofIsraelanditspolicies.Forexample,aeeritsadop+onbytheUKgovernmentinDecember2016,theIHRAdefini+onwasusedtoputpressureontheorganizersofeventsaboutIsraelanditsviola+onofPales+nianrights,accusingthemofan+-Semi+smbecausetheywereallegedlysinglingoutIsraelandapplyingdoublestandards.AfewofsucheventshaveconsequentlybeencancelledintheUK.InGermany,theBundestagalsoadoptedamo+onequa+ngtheBoycoU,DivestmentandSanc+ons(BDS)movementwithan+-Semi+sm,whichreferencestheIHRAdefini+on.Thismo+onalreadyhasnega+veconsequencesforthedemocra+cspaceinGermany..”

19Dec2019

‘Completelywrongheaded’:LocalJewishstudiesprofsskewerTrump’sordertarge+ngcampusan+-Semi+sm

JewishWeekly/GabeStutman "ProfessorssuchasJohnEfron(KoretProfessorofJewishHistoryatUCBerkeley)andStevenZipperstein(KoshlandProfessorinJewishCultureandHistoryatStanfordUniversity)saidtheycouldnotoffersupportfortheorder,whichreliesontheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAllianceresolu+onthatan+-Israelac+vityisakintoan+-Semi+sm.‘You’llhaveavery,veryhard+mefindingsuchsupport[fortheexecu+veorder]amongthoseofuswhounderstandtheworkingsofuniversitylife,’ZippersteinwroteinanemailtoJ.TheJewishstudiesprofessorscontactedbyJ.tendedtoseetheorderas,atbest,anemptygesturebytheadministra+onmeanttoscorepoli+calpointsor,atworst,adangerousincursionintothefree-speechrightsofthosewhowouldcri+queIsraeloncollegecampuses,long+mebas+onsoffreespeech.”

13Dec2019

Idraeedthedefini+onofan+semi+sm.RightwingJewsareweaponizingit

KennethStern/TheGuardian "Fieeenyearsago,astheAmericanJewishCommiUee’san+semi+smexpert,Iwastheleaddraeerofwhatwasthencalledthe“workingdefini+onofan+semi+sm”.ItwascreatedprimarilysothatEuropeandatacollectorscouldknowwhattoincludeandexclude.Thatwayan+semi+smcouldbemonitoredbeUerover+meandacrossborders.Itwasneverintendedtobeacampushatespeechcode,butthat’swhatDonaldTrump’sexecu+veorderaccomplishedthisweek.ThisorderisanaUackonacademicfreedomandfreespeech,andwillharmnotonlypro-Pales+nianadvocates,butalsoJewishstudentsandfaculty,andtheacademyitself.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 31 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

12Dec2019

HowDonaldTrumpisSavingtheOccupa+onbyDismantlingtheFirstAmendment

ResponsibleStatecrae/LaraFriedman-Founda+onforMiddleEastPeace

“AttheheartofTrump’sexecu+veorderistheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)defini+onofan+semi+sm.Thisdefini+onincludesasetofillustra+veexamplesprovidedasguidelinesseonglimitsonwhatistobeconsideredlegi+matecri+cismofIsrael,unlikeanythingthatexistsforanyothercountryorissue…Accordingtotheseguidelines,cri+cismofIsraelisipsofactoan+semi+smifitfocusessolelyonIsrael,ratherthantarge+ngothercountrieswithsimilarcri+ques.Likewise,cri+cismofIsraelthatques+onsIsrael’srighttoexistisconsidered,again,ipsofactoan+semi+sm.Whatwillthatmeaninprac+ce?Wewillsoonfindout,butasaguess:APales+niantalkingaboutherlivedexperienceunderoccupa+on?Almostcertainlyan+semi+sm.APales+nianrefugeetalkingaboutwhatitmeanstowanttoreturntohisancestralhomelandorchallengingtheIsraelinarra+veofIsraelimanifestdes+nyinaland-without-a-people-for-a-people-without-a-land?An+semi+sm!Studentac+viststryingtoorganizesupportforPales+nianhumanandcivilrights?An+semi+sm!Likewise,expertsandacademicsonIsrael-Pales+nelikeme,orlikemycolleaguesinIsraelihumanrightsgroups,talkingabouttheirareasofexper+se?Sayitwithmenow:An+semi+sm.Giventhatnumerousgroupsarealreadywaginglawfareagainstcri+csofIsraelonU.S.campuses,thisisbynomeanshypothe+cal.Indeed,merehoursaeerTrumpsignedhisorder,aRepublicancongressman,workinginclosecoopera+onwithoneofthegroupsthathasforyearsbeenaUackingIsrael-relatedfreespeechonU.S.campuses,sentaleUerdemandingthattheDepartmentofEduca+oninves+gateandhaltfundingtoamajorU.S.universityforac+vi+escri+calofIsraelthatnowmustdeemedan+semi+sm.Thegoalofthiseffort,andtheonesthatwillcertainlyfollow,isclear:topunishcampusesthatprotectfreespeechonIsrael-Pales+ne,andtohaveachillingeffectonacademicins+tu+onsacrosstheboard,ensuringthatcampusadministratorsanddonorschoosetopreemp+velyquashcri+cismandac+vismrelatedtoIsraelratherthanriskreputa+onalharm,legaljeopardy,andpoten+allossoffunding.”

12Dec2019

TheRealPurposeofTrump’sExecu+veOrderonAn+-Semi+sm

TheNewYorker/MashaGessen “BothKushnerandtheexecu+veorderrefertothedefini+onofan+-Semi+smthatwasformulated,in2016,bytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance;ithassincebeenadoptedbytheStateDepartment.Thedefini+onsuppliesexamplesofan+-Semi+sm,andKushnercitedthemostproblema+coftheseasthemostimportant:‘thetarge+ngofthestateofIsrael,conceivedasaJewishcollec+vity’;denialto‘theJewishpeopletheirrighttoself-determina+on,e.g.byclaimingthattheexistenceofastateofIsraelisaracistendeavor’;andcomparing‘contemporaryIsraelipolicytothatoftheNazis.’Allthreeexamplesperformthesamesleightofhand:theyreframeopposi+ontoorcri+cismofIsraelipoliciesasopposi+ontothestateofIsrael.Andthat,saysKushner,isan+-Semi+sm.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 32 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

12Dec2019

WhyTrump’sJudaismexecu+veorderistoonarrowandtoobroad

WashingtonPostEditorialBoard “TheordersignedWednesdaybythepresidentspecificallytargetscollegesanduniversi+esbyclassifyingJudaismnotonlyasareligionbutalsoasaraceorna+onality,therebyenablingthefederalgovernmenttopenalizeins+tu+onsdeemedtotolerateaclimateofbias.Thisistoonarrowintrainingitssightsonlyonacademiawhensomanyhatefuloccurrenceshaveoccurredatsynagogues,Jewishcemeteriesandelsewhere.Itdealswithcampusincidentstoobroadlybythreateningtosuppressspeechthatmaybereflexivelylabeledasbigotedif,forinstance,itaUacksIsrael.Ifcri+cismofIsraelipoliciesisreflexivelyconflatedwithan+-Semi+sm,thenrobustdebateandacademicfreedomwillsuffer.”

12Dec2019

Trumpan+-Semi+smordercouldunderminefreespeech

LATimesEditorialBoard “anexecu+veordersignedbyPresidentTrumponWednesday,supposedlytofurtherthatgoal,includeslanguagethatisfartoobroadandcouldendupunderminingfreespeechoncampus,acausetowhichthepresidentalsohascommiUedhisadministra+on…Harshcri+cismofIsrael—evenifitinvolvesques+oningtheexistenceofaJewishstate—isspeechprotectedbythe1stAmendment.ItshouldalsobepermiUedbyprivatecollegesthatreceivefederalfunds.Studentshavearighttobeprotectedfromharassmentanddiscrimina+on,buttheydon’tneedtobeshieldedfromopinionstheyfindobjec+onableoroffensive.”

11Dec2019

Trump’sExecu+veOrderandtheRiseofAn+-Semi+sm

NewYorkTimesEditorialBoard “Mr.Trump’sexecu+veorderpointsagenciestothedefini+onofan+-Semi+smpreparedbytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance.Thisdefini+onincludesseveralexamplesofspeechthatshouldbecoveredbytheFirstAmendment,like“claimingthattheexistenceofaStateofIsraelisaracistendeavor.”ForthisreasonKennethStern,theleadauthorofthedefini+on,wroteintheTimesthatitshouldn’tbeappliedtohighereduca+on.Theagency’sdefini+onwaspreparedfordatacollectorswri+ngreportsinEurope,notforgovernmentofficialspolicingcampusspeech.Itistruethatan+-Israelspeech,whetheroncampusorinCongress,makessomeJewsfeelunsafe,especiallythosewhofeelthatZionismisintrinsictoJewishiden+ty.Someworrythatcri+csofIsraeltoooeenblameallJewsfortheac+onsoftheJewishstatehalfwayaroundtheworld.Otherssharecri+cs’concernsaboutIsraeliac+onsbutfindthemselvesunwelcomeasallies,becauseofhos+litytowardtheJewishstate.”

11Dec2019

Trump’sExecu+veOrderisaCynical,HarmfulMeasureDesignedtoSuppressFreeSpeechonCollegeCampuses,NotFightAn+-Semi+sm

JStreet "“Thisexecu+veorder,likethestalledcongressionallegisla+onitisbasedon,appearsdesignedlesstocombatan+-Semi+smthantohaveachillingeffectonfreespeechandtocrackdownoncampuscri+csofIsrael.JStreetiscommiUedtofigh+ngallformsofan+-Semi+sm—andwefeelitismisguidedandharmfulfortheWhiteHousetounilaterallydeclareabroadrangeofnonviolentcampuscri+cismofIsraeltobean+-Semi+c,especiallyata+mewhentheprimedriverofan+-Semi+sminthiscountryisthexenophobic,whitena+onalistfar-right.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 33 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

10Dec2019

UPDATED:FIREstatementregardingexecu+veorderoncampusan+-Semi+sm

FIRE(Founda+onforIndividualRightsinEduca+on) “Whiletheorderiscouchedinlanguageintendedtopaperoverthereadilyevidentthreattoexpressiverights,itsambiguousdirec+veandfundamentalrelianceontheIHRAdefini+onanditsexampleswillcauseins+tu+onstoinves+gateandcensorprotectedspeechontheircampuses.Havingspent20yearsdefendingspeakersfromacrossthepoli+calspectrum,FIREknowsalltoowellthatcollegesanduniversi+eswillrushtopunishstudentandfacultyspeakersinanaUempttoavoidfederalinves+ga+onandenforcement.”

6Dec2019

AcallfromJewishacademicstoFrenchMPs-AnappealfromFrenchacademicsfortheNa+onalAssemblytorejecttheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm.

VersoBooks-Agroupof127JewishintellectualsfromacrosstheworldcalledonFrenchMPsnottosupporttheresolu+ononcomba+ngan+-Semi+smthatwasdebatedandvotedonintheNa+onalAssemblyon3rdand4thDecember.

"WeurgetheNa+onalAssemblynottosupportaresolu+onthatwronglyequatesan+-Zionismwithan+-Semi+sm.Donotsupportaresolu+onthatapprovesIHRA’spoli+cizeddefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,especiallyifitdoessowithoutdistancingitselffromtheproblema+cexamplesinthedefini+onthatconcernIsrael.”

4Nov2019

OpenLeUertoFrenchDepu+esfrom39FrenchNGOsandAssocia+onsAgainsttheDraeResolu+ononAn+semi+sm/An+zionism

OpenleUersignedbyFrançoisLeroux,presidentofthePla|ormforFrenchNGOsforPales+ne(agroupingof39Frenchcivilsocietyorganiza+onsetassocia+ons;BertrandHeilbronn,presidenttheAssocia+onFrancePales+neSolidarité(AFPS);MalikSalemkour,presidentoftheleagueofHumanRights(LDH);EmmanuelCharles,co-presidentofRITIMO;RenéeLeMignot,presidentoftheMovementagainstracismandforfriendshipbetweenpeoples(MRAP);MarcStenger,presidentofPaxChris+;DominiqueLesaffre,DirectorGeneralofSolidarityInterna+onalforDevelopmentandInvestment(SIDI);AndréRosevègueetBéatriceOrès,presidentdetheJewishFrenchUnionforPeace(UJFP)

[translatedfromFrench]theIHRAdefini+on“representsathreattoanylegi+matecri+cismagainsttheStateofIsrael,regularlyaccusedofviola+ngnumeroustrea+esandinstrumentsoftheinterna+onallawofwhichFranceistheguarantor...Ourorganiza+onsareworriedabouttheriseofan+-Semi+sminFranceandbelievethatthefightagainstallformsofracismmustbewagedfirmly.Wealsoaffirmtherighttocri+cizethepolicyofanystate,includingthestateofIsraelwhenitcommitsviola+onsofhumanrightsandinterna+onalhumanitarianlaw.Weareworriedabouttheassimila+onbetweenan+-Zionismandan+-Semi+smthattheresolu+oninducesandwhichamountstocallingintoques+ontherighttofreedomofexpressionenshrinedinourFrenchlaw,includingcons+tu+onallaw.”

Sept2019

ExpertOpiniononthe“WorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm”oftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance

RosaLuxemburgFounda+on/PeterUllirch-Dr.phil.Dr.rer.med.,TechnischeUniversitätBerlin,FellowattheCenterforResearchonAn+semi+sm(ZfA),co-headoftheresearchunit“SocialMovements,Technology,Conflicts”attheCenterforTechnologyandSociety(ZTG)&memberoftheIns+tuteforSocialMovementStudies(ipb)

“Theweaknessesofthe“WorkingDefini+on”arethegatewaytoitspoli+calinstrumentaliza+on,forinstanceformorallydiscredi+ngopposingposi+onsintheArab-Israeliconflictwiththeaccusa+onofan+semi+sm.Thishasrelevantimplica+onsforfundamentalrights.Theincreasingimplementa+onofthe“WorkingDefini+on”asaquasi-legalbasisforadministra+veac+onpromisesregulatorypoten+al.Infact,itisinsteadaninstrumentthatallbutinvitesarbitrariness.Itcanbeusedtoabridgefundamentalrightspar+cularlyfreedomofspeechwithrespecttodisfavouredposi+onsonIsrael.Incontrasttowhatthedesigna+on“WorkingDefini+on”suggests,nofurtherdevelopmentofthedefini+ontorec+fytheseweaknessesisoccurring.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 34 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

10Sept2019

Canada’snewdefini+onofan+-Semi+smisathreattocampusfreespeech

UniversityAffairs(Canada)/JeffreySachs-lecturerinthedepartmentsofhistoryandpoli+csatAcadiaUniversity.

“Alongsidetradi+onalexamplesofan+-Semi+sm,theIHRAincludesstatementslike‘denyingtheJewishpeopletherighttoself-determina+on,’‘claimingthattheexistenceofIsraelisaracistendeavor,’andholdingIsraeltoastandardofbehavior‘notexpectedordemandedofanyotherdemocra+cna+on.’Inotherwords,theIHRAdefini+onexplicitlyconflatescri+cismofIsraelwithan+-Semi+sm.Makenomistake,thisisabouttarge+ngcri+csofIsraelandpro-Pales+nianac+vists,especiallythoseonuniversitycampuses.Supportershavebeenquiteclearonthispoint,sugges+ng,forexample,thatuniversi+esshouldusethenewdefini+ontocensureandsilencepopularcampuseventslikeIsraelApartheidWeekandmovementslikeBoycoU,Divestment,andSanc+ons(BDS).”

10Aug2019

Iwarnedthatadop+ngtheIHRAwouldshutdownPales+nianprotest–I’vebeenprovedright

Independent(UK)/AntonyLerman-formerdirectoroftheUK-basedIns+tuteforJewishPolicyResearch

“Togetherwithothercri+csofthedefini+on,IwarnedthatthosehithardestbythesteamrollercampaigntoforceLabourtoadopttheIHRAtextinfullinSeptember2018onthespuriousgroundsthatitwasthe“universallyaccepted,”“goldstandard”defini+on,withoutwhichthepartywouldneverresolveitsperceivedan+semi+smproblem,wouldbePales+nians.MerelybydescribingtheirexperienceofZionism(self-determina+onforJewsalone)asdispossession,denialofrights,ongoingNakba–catastrophe–theywouldfallfoulofthedefini+on,andmanywouldremainsilentforfearoftheconsequences.Nevermindthattheirexperienceshavebeendocumented,innumerousdefini+vestudies,byJewishIsraelihistorianssincethe1990s.Wealsocau+onedthatadop+onbygovernment,localauthori+es,universi+esandotherpublicins+tu+onswoulddonothingtoprotectJews.Infactitwaslikelytomakethingsworse.Wewereright.”

5Aug2019

Distor+ngthedefini+onofan+semi+smtoshieldIsraelfromallcri+cism

+972Magazine/AmosGoldberg(ProfessorattheDepartmentoftheJewishHistoryandContemporaryJewryatHebrewUniversity)&RazSegal(AssistantProfessorofHolocaustandGenocideStudies,StocktonUniversity,NewJersey)

"Right-wingpoli+cians,includingIsraeliPrimeMinisterBenjaminNetanyahuandIsraeliright-wingmedia,haveunderstoodthatthefocusofthefightagainstan+semi+smhasshieedfromracistna+onaliststocri+cismofIsrael,andtheyusethecatastrophicIHRAdefini+onfortheirpurposes…therightunderstandsverywellthepowerfulpoten+aloftheIHRAdefini+on,notonlyforthepurposeofshieldingZionismfromanycri+cism,butalsofordefendingtheoccupa+onitself.ThegovernmentofIsraelanditsrepresenta+ves,aswellasmanypro-Israeliorganiza+onsallovertheworld,areremarkablysuccessfulinsilencingcri+cismofIsrael’spoliciesbyplayingthiscard.UsingtheIHRA’spoordefini+onofan+semi+sm,theyhavesucceededincompletelychangingthediscourse:ratherthantalkabouttheoccupa+on,theNakba,oritsviola+onofna+onal,humanandcivilrights,thedominantpublicdiscoursenowrevolvesaroundwhatisorisnotforbiddenwhenitcomestocri+cismofIsrael,andtowhatextentsaidcri+cismisan+semi+c.Inthisreality,Israelnolongerneedstodefenditselfagainstallega+on—ithasafreehandtothrowaroundaccusa+ons.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 35 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

Jul2019

ACri+queoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAllianceWorkingDefini+onofAn+semi+sm

IndependentJewishVoices(IJV)—Canada “An+semi+smisarealproblem.Itmustbefoughtinallitsforms.Butadop+onoftheIHRAdefini+onisthewrongapproach.Labellingallcri+cismofIsrael’sbehaviourasan+semi+smdoesnothingtocombathatredofJewishpeople,whichtodayisveryoeenlinkedtowhitesupremacy.Moreover,silencinglegi+matecri+cismofIsraelimpedesthestruggleforhumanrightsandajustpeaceinIsrael/Pales+ne.Therealfightagainstan+semi+smmustbejoinedtothestrugglesagainstracism,xenophobiaandhatredofallethnicandreligiousgroups,aswellastothestruggleforequalityandhumanrightsforallpeople—inCanada,inIsrael/Pales+neandaroundtheworld”

18June2019

TheBCCLAopposestheinterna+onalcampaigntoadopttheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAssocia+on(IHRA)defini+onofan+semi+sm

Bri+shColumbiaCivilLiber+esAssocia+on “TheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smisextremelyvague,opentomisinterpreta+on,andthedocumentstatesthatitis‘non-legallybinding.’Notonlyisthetextunsuitableforanylegaloradministra+vepurposeinCanada,buttheaccompanying‘illustra+ons’suggestthatthedefini+onconflatescri+quesofthestateofIsraelwithan+semi+sm.Wewereconcernedaboutthisblurringofthelinebetweendenuncia+onofac+onsbytheIsraelistateandhatredforJewishpeoplewhentheHouseofCommonsvotedtoformallycondemntheBoycoU,DivestmentandSanc+onscampaignin2016.Wefearthatifadopted,theIHRAdefini+onwillservetoseverelychillpoli+calexpressionsofcri+cismofIsraelaswellassupportforPales+nianrights.”

Summer2019

HateIsontheRise.HowWeRespondMaUers

CanadianFriendsServiceCommiUee/MaUhewLegge “WhiletheIHRAsays,‘cri+cismofIsraelsimilartothatleveledagainstanyothercountrycannotberegardedasan+semi+c,’severaloftheirillustra+onsdon’tmakethisatallclear.Suchclarityisimportant,becausefailingtoprovideitwhileadop+ngtheIHRAdefini+oncouldresultinchillingorevencriminalizinghumanrightsprotests,liketheboycoU,divestment,sanc+onsmovement.Twoprofessorswithexper+seontheHolocaust,AmosGoldbergandRazSegal,havewriUenabouthowtheyseethishappening.Amongotherconcerns,theynotethattheIHRAdefini+onmeans‘theburdenofprooflieswithcri+csofIsrael,whoareconstantlyaskedtoprovethattheyarenotan+-Semites.’"

4May2019

Thecampaigntoequatean+-Zionismwithan+-Semi+sm

AlMonitor/YossiBeilin-formerIsraeliministerofJus+ce,ministerofreligiousaffairs,formerheadofMeretz

“TheIsraeligovernment’scampaignequa+ngan+-Zionismwithan+-Semi+smhasachievedconsiderablesuccess.InMay2016,theInterna+onalAllianceforHolocaustRemembrance(IHRA)decidedtoadd“targe+ngofthestateofIsrael,conceivedasaJewishcollec+vity”toitsdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm….Israelwantsanyoneseekingitsfriendshiptoiden+fyan+-Zionismwithan+-Semi+sm.Iamnotsure,however,thatthisistherightbaUleforIsraeltowage,andIhaveahard+meunderstandinghowthisformulabenefitsthecountry.TheZionistideaenvisionedalltheJewsoftheworldgatheringinIsrael,butnoteveryonewhorejectsthisideaisanan+-Semite.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 36 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

1May2019

HowNottoFightAn+semi+sm

IndependentJewishVoices(IJV)—Canada “TheIHRAadoptedStern’sdefini+onquicklyandwithnodebate.ItwassubsequentlypickedupbythegovernmentofIsraelandotherZionistorganiza+onsbecauseitwasahandycudgel—withtheimprimaturoftheIHRA,anorganiza+onwhosemandateisHolocausteduca+onandmemorializa+on—withwhichtobeatbackcri+cismofIsrael,an+-ZionistandPales+nianrightsdiscourses,andtheBoycoU,DivestmentandSanc+ons(BDS)movement.Zionistorganiza+onsandtheiralliesarenowworkingtogivetheIHRA-WDAlegalandadministra+vepower,somethingitwasneverintendedtohaveandforwhichitistotallyunfit.”

May2019

BackgrounderonEffortstoRedefineAn+semi+smasaMeansofCensoringCri+cismofIsrael

Pales+neLegal “Theredefini+onbrandscri+csofIsraelandadvocatesforPales+nianrightsasan+-Jewishbyblurringimportantdis+nc+onsbetweencri+cismofIsraelasana+on-stateandan+semi+sm.Infact,JewishpeopleandtheIsraelistatearenotoneandthesame.Overhalftheworld’sJewishpopula+onlivesoutsideofIsrael.OvertwentypercentofIsrael’spopula+onisnotJewish.Theinaccurateassump+onthattheIsraeligovernmentrepresentsJewishpeopleworldwideisitselfan+semi+cbecauseitnecessarilyaUributesIsraeligovernmentpoliciesandprac+cestoallJews.ManyJews,includingIsraeliJews,joinpeopleofallfaithsfromacrosstheglobeincri+cizingIsrael.Thosecri+cismsarenotbasedonan+-Jewishhate,butonthepoliciesofthegovernmentofIsraelasana+on-state.”

7March2019

Debunkingthemyththatan+-Zionismisan+semi+c

PeterBeinart “Itisanunderstandableimpulse:letthepeoplethreatenedbyan+semi+smdefinean+semi+sm.Theproblemisthat,inmanycountries,JewishleadersservebothasdefendersoflocalJewishinterestsanddefendersoftheIsraeligovernment.AndtheIsraeligovernmentwantstodefinean+-ZionismasbigotrybecausedoingsohelpsIsraelkillthetwo-statesolu+onwithimpunity.Foryears,BarackObamaandJohnKerrywarnedthatifIsraelcon+nuedtheseUlementgrowthintheWestBankthatmadeaPales+nianstateimpossible,Pales+nianswouldstopdemandingaPales+nianstatealongsideIsraelandinsteaddemandonestatebetweentheJordanRiverandtheMediterraneanSea,neitherJewishnorPales+nian,thatreplacesIsrael.Definingan+-Zionismasan+semi+smreducesthatthreat.ItmeansthatifPales+niansandtheirsupportersrespondtothedemiseofthetwo-statesolu+onbydemandingoneequalstate,someoftheworld’smostpowerfulgovernmentswilldeclarethembigots.WhichleavesIsraelfreetoentrenchitsownversionofonestate,whichdeniesmillionsofPales+niansbasicrights.SilencingPales+niansisn’tapar+cularlyeffec+vewaytofightrisingan+semi+sm,muchofwhichcomesfrompeoplewholikeneitherPales+niansnorJews.But,justasimportant,itunderminesthemoralbasisofthatfight.An+semi+smisn’twrongbecauseitiswrongtodenigrateanddehumaniseJews.An+semi+smiswrongbecauseitiswrongtodenigrateanddehumaniseanyone.Whichmeans,ul+mately,thatanyefforttofightan+semi+smthatcontributestothedenigra+onanddehumanisa+onofPales+niansisnofightagainstan+semi+smatall.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 37 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

29Jan2019

LeUertoProfessorDameJanetBeerontheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

Bri+shSocietyofMiddleEasternStudies(BRISMES)/StuartLaing-BRISMESPresident

“theIHRAdefini+onisincompa+blewithprinciplesofacademicfreedom,andlikelytos+flefreedomofspeechintheuniversitysystem.”

3Dec2018

LeUer:CivilRightsGroupsDemandDOEAssistantSecretaryMarcusEndAUacksonFreeSpeech

CenterforCons+tu+onalRIghts+10othercivilrightsgroups “TheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smprovidesnonewlegalprotec+onsforJewishstudentswhoaresubjectedtodiscrimina+on.Itcarvesoutspecialtreatmentforstudentstobeshieldedfromcri+cismofIsrael.Suchprotec+onfrompoli+calopinionsandhumanrightsadvocacyagainsttheabusesofaforeignstatehasnogroundinginstatute,andinfactwouldviolatetheU.S.Cons+tu+onandbedrockprinciplesofacademicfreedomintendedtoensureopendebate.”

23Nov2018

Thegovernmentthatcried'wolf!'

YNet/SusieBecher-ManagingEditorofthePales+ne-IsraelJournalandamemberofthePolicyWorkingGroup

“TheIsraeligovernment’scalculatedobfusca+onofthelinebetweenan+-Semi+smandopposi+ontoitspolicies,orevenopposi+ontotheconceptofaJewishstate,shouldbeofconcerntoJewsworldwide…TheproblemliesnotwiththeIHRA’sdefini+onitself,whichbasicallyspeaksofhatredtowardJews.It’stheillustra+veexamplesthatgiveonepause.Amongthemare“targe+ngthestateofIsrael”and“denyingtheJewishpeopletheirrighttoself-determina+on.”Withthesephrases,theIHRAstatementblursthedis+nc+onbetweenhatredoftheJewishpeopleandopposi+ontoIsraeligovernmentpolicies,theno+onofIsraelasaJewishstate,oreventotheveryestablishmentoftheStateofIsrael.”

10Nov2018

IsraeliAcademicsandAr+stsWarnAgainstEqua+ngan+-ZionismWithan+-Semi+sm

Haaretz/OferAderet “AnopenleUerfrom35prominentIsraelis,includingJewish-historyscholarsandIsraelPrizelaureates,waspublishedTuesdayintheAustrianmediacallingforadis+nc+onbetweenlegi+matecri+cismofIsrael,‘harshasitmaybe,’andan+-Semi+sm…ThesignatoriesaccuseNetanyahuofsugges+nganequivalencebetweenan+-Israelcri+cismandan+-Semi+sm.Theofficialdeclara+onbytheconferencealsonotesthatan+-Semi+smisoeenexpressedthroughdispropor+onatecri+cismofIsrael,buttheleUerwarnsthatsuchanapproachcould‘affordIsraelimmunityagainstcri+cismforgraveandwidespreadviola+onsofhumanrightsandinterna+onallaw.’”

17Oct2018

AClimateofIn+mida+on InsideHigherEd/TallieBen-Daniel “WhitesupremacistgroupshaveturnedtheirvitrioltocollegecampusesundertheTrumpadministra+on.ThosehategroupsexploittheFirstAmendmenttoopenlyrecruitmembers,stageralliesandgarnernews-mediaaUen+on.Facedwiththisriseofopenracism,Islamophobiaandan+-Semi+sm,collegeanduniversityadministra+onshavestruggledtobalanceprotec+ngtheFirstAmendmentwhilealsoprovidingawelcomingeduca+onalenvironmenttomarginalizedstudents.Thisissurelya+meforstrongguidancefromtheU.S.DepartmentofEduca+on’sOfficeforCivilRights.Butinsteadofprovidingthatguidance,KennethMarcus,theassistantsecretaryforcivilrights,haslaunchedacampaignagainststudentswhosupportPales+nianhumanrightsandthecollegesanduniversi+esthatpermitthemsuchfreedomofspeech.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 38 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

31Aug2018

An+-Semi+smrow:LeadingQCsaysIHRAdefini+onunenforceableandmisleading

MiddleEastEye “The"workingdefini+on"ofan+-Semi+smadoptedin2016bytheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)maysuppresslegi+matecri+cismofIsraelwhilefailingtocover"themostinsidiousformsofhos+litytoJewishpeople",aleadingBri+shbarristersaidinalegalopinionreleasedonFriday.GeoffreyRobertson,arenownedlegalscholarwithexper+seonhumanrightsandfreespeech,saidtheBri+shgovernment'sadop+onoftheIHRA'sdefini+onin2016‘hasnolegaleffect’,asitwasannouncedbyPrimeMinisterTheresaMaywithoutinputfromtheparliament.“

30Aug2018

WCCcommentonIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

WorldCouncilofChurches “Theriskofavaguedefini+onofan+semi+sm,evenifwidelyaccepted,isthatitmaybemisusedtopre-emptproperaUen+ontoviola+onsofinterna+onalhumanitarianandhumanrightslaw.”

20Aug2018

HowtheIHRAan+semi+smdefini+onaUacksJews

PlanetMagazine/MikeJoseph(Welshgenocidehistorian) “TheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance’scode1shouldworryeveryone,especiallyJews.Itachieveswhatgenera+onsofan+semi+smhavenot,discredi+ngtheveryconceptofan+semi+sm,byweaponisingitindefenceoftheIsraeligovernment.”

18Aug2018

LegalFormandLegalLegi+macy:TheIHRADefini+onofAn+semi+smasaCaseStudyinCensoredSpeech

Law,Culture&theHumani+es/RebeccaRuthGould “Thechallengeposedbylegalindeterminacytolegallegi+macyhasgenerallybeenconsideredfrompointsofviewinternaltothelawanditsapplica+on.Butwhatbecomesoflegallegi+macywhenthelegalstatusofagivennormisitselfamaUerofcontesta+on?Thisar+cle,thefirstextendedscholarlytreatmentoftheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)’snewdefini+onofan+semi+sm,pursuesthisques+onbyexaminingrecentapplica+onsoftheIHRAdefini+onwithintheUKfollowingitsadop+onbytheBri+shgovernmentin2016.Insteadoffocusingonthisdefini+on’ssubstan+vecontent,Ishowhowthedocumentreachesbeyonditsself-describedstatusasa“non-legallybindingworkingdefini+on”andcomestofunc+onaswhatIcallaquasi-law,inwhichcapacityitexercisesthedefactoauthorityofthelaw,withouthavingacquiredlegallegi+macy.Broadly,thisworkelucidatestheroleofspeechcodesinrestric+ngfreedomofexpressionwithinliberalstates.”

17Jul2018

First-ever:40+Jewishgroupsworldwideopposeequa+ngan+semi+smwithcri+cismofIsrael

Socialjus+ceorganiza+onsfromaroundtheworld “TheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance(IHRA)defini+onofan+semi+sm,whichisincreasinglybeingadoptedorconsideredbywesterngovernments,iswordedinsuchawayastobeeasilyadoptedorconsideredbywesterngovernmentstointen+onallyequatelegi+matecri+cismsofIsraelandadvocacyforPales+nianrightswithan+semi+sm,asameanstosuppresstheformer.Thisconfla+onunderminesboththePales+nianstruggleforfreedom,jus+ceandequalityandtheglobalstruggleagainstan+semi+sm.ItalsoservestoshieldIsraelfrombeingheldaccountabletouniversalstandardsofhumanrightsandinterna+onallaw.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 39 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

17Jul2018

Howshouldan+semi+smbedefined?-ApanelofJewishwritersconsiderstheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm,whichhasgeneratedsomuchrecentdebate

Cri+cizingtheIHRA:StephenSedley,GeoffreyBindman,JacquelineRose

Sedley:“whatevercri+cismtheIHRA’s“examples”mayseektosuppress,bothJewsandnon-JewsintheUKareen+tled,withoutbeings+gma+sedasan+semites,tocontendthatastatethatbylawdeniesPales+niansanyrightofself-determina+onisaraciststate,ortoaskwhetherthereissomemoralequivalencebetweenshoo+ngdowndefencelessJewsineasternEuropeandunarmedPales+niandemonstratorsinGaza.”Bindman:“thedefini+onandtheexamplesarepoorlydraeed,misleading,andinprac+cehaveledtothesuppressionoflegi+matedebateandfreedomofexpression.”Rose:“Weneedtogoondeba+ngandtalking,alwaysalerttothepossibilitythatanyonedefini+on,howeverwell-inten+oned,howeverdesignedtoprotecttheJewsfromthesufferingandravagesoftheirownhistory,mightbeharnessedonthesideofinjus+ce.”

8July2018

RichardBurden:WhyI’mconcernedabouttheIHRAdefini+onofan+semi+sm

LabourList.org/RichardBurden-MPforBirminghamNorthfieldandchairofthePales+neall-partyparliamentarygroup.

“…Recognisingtheneedtofightan+semi+smshouldhavenothingtodowithyourviewsonIsraelandPales+ne.ButconcernhasarisenfromcaseswheretheIHRAtexthasbeeninvokedtosuppresslegi+matedebateoverIsraelandPales+ne,andtoholdthatstatementsthatallegeracisminrespectofIsraelcouldbeprimafacieevidenceofan+semi+smonthepartofthosemakingsuchstatements.Butdoesn’tthisthreatenthefreedomofspeechofthosewhoarguethattheincreasingdiscrimina+onsufferedbyPales+niansbothinsideIsraelandtheOccupiedTerritoriesraisesworryingparallelswithApartheid?WerightlysaywemustlistencarefullywhenJewsseektodefinetheoppressiontheyface,sohowcanwerefusetodothesamewhenPales+niansspeakoutabouttheirs?WhetherornotyouagreethatthereareparallelsbetweencurrentIsraelipolicyandApartheid,whenevenformerIsraeliPMEhudBarakhasusedthetermApartheidtodescribethecurrenttrajectoryofIsraeligovernmentpolicy,you’dthinkitwouldbefar-fetchedtobelievethatdiscourselikethiscouldbedefinedasan+semi+chereintheUK.Unfortunately,thereisalreadyorganisedpressuretodoso,usingthewordingoftheIHRAtextasanauthority.”

3July2018

Congress’sAn+-Semi+smAwarenessActDoesn’tProtectJews-ItProtectsIsrael

TheForward/BarryTrachtenberg-RubinChairofJewishHistoryatWakeForestUniversity.InNovemberof2017hetes+fiedaboutan+semi+smoncollegecampusesbeforetheJudiciaryCommiUeeoftheU.S.Congress.Heistheauthor,mostrecently,of“TheUnitedStatesandtheNaziHolocaust:Race,Refuge,andRemembrance”(Bloomsbury,2018).

“The‘An+-Semi+smAwarenessAct’wouldcompeltheDepartmentofEduca+ontou+lizeaques+onabledefini+onofan+-Semi+smtodetermineifawidearrayofincidentsoncollegecampuses,includingstudentprotest,areinviola+onofcurrentan+-discrimina+onlaw.Thedefini+onofan+-Semi+smusedbytheActisoneformerlyemployedbytheStateDepartment,andiswriUeninsuchawaythatmanyofthecurrentdebatesconcerningIsraelthatoccuramongJewsinIsraelandwithintheAmericanJewishcommunitywouldthemselvesbeclassifiedasan+-Semi+c.Eventheoriginalauthorofthedefini+onhastes+fiedthatitisinappropriateforthepurposesoflegisla+on.ThetruthisthattheAn+-Semi+smAwarenessActisanaUempttosuppressstudentac+vismandacademicspeechthatisinsupportofPales+nianhumanrights.Thebillwilldefineopposi+ontoIsraeligovernmentpolicyasan+-Semi+sm,equateJudaismwithZionismandsanc+onschoolsthatpermitPales+nianhumanrightsac+vismtooccurontheircampuses.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 40 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

12June2018

What’sWrongWiththeAn+-Semi+smAwarenessAct

InsideHigherEd/CaryNelson&OtherMembersofTheAllianceforAcademicFreedom

“…Wedon’tbelievethatCongressshouldbeinthebusinessofseongforthofficialdefini+onsofant-Semi+sm.Andwedonotthinkanydefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,includingoneoriginallydraeedwiththeneedsofEuropeandatacollectorsutmostinmindandthenadopted(withminorchanges)bytheU.S.DepartmentofStatefordiploma+cpurposes,hasanylegi+mateapplica+onbyCongresstoconten+ouspoli+calspeechoncampus.Someofusarescholarsofan+-Semi+sm.Weareawarethatan+-Semi+sm’smanifesta+onschangeover+me.Thereisarobustdebate,bothinsidetheJewishcommunityandamongexpertsontheissue,overtherela+onshipbetweenan+-Zionismandan+-Semi+sm.Some+mesan+-Zionismcons+tutesan+-Semi+sm;some+mesitdoesn’t.Regardless,Congresshasnobusinessdecidingwhenitdoesordoesn’t,norshoulditbeineffectsta+ngthatpoli+calexpressionsitdeemsan+-Semi+careessen+allypresumedrelevanttoaTitleVIcase.”

8June2018

Enoughalready.Notallcri+cismofIsraelisan+-Semi+sm

LosAngelesTimesEditorialBoard “isitnecessarilyan+-Semi+ctoharshlycri+cizetheJewishstateortodosowithout,inthesamebreath,cri+cizingSaudirepression?Isitan+-Semi+ctoarguethatIsraelshouldbereplacedbysomethingelse,suchasasecular,bina+onalna+on?Eventhosewhobelievesuchcri+cismsofIsraelaresimplis+corunfairshouldseethattheyarefarremovedfromthesortofinsultsorpersonalaUacksthatauniversityorthefederalgovernmentcanpolicewithoutrunningafoulofthe1stAmendment.EvenstrongsupportersofthestateofIsraelshouldacknowledgethatwhilethereare,ofcourse,an+-SemitesamongIsrael’smanycri+cs,notallopposi+ontoIsraelisinherentlyan+-Semi+c.”

5June2018

TheLatestAUackonFreeSpeechintheIsrael-Pales+neDebate

ACLU/ManarWaheed&BrianHaussACLUleUertoCongressishere.

“an+-Semi+charassmentisalreadyillegalunderfederallaw.Thenewbilldoesnotchangethatfact,butitsoverbreadthmakesitlikelythatitwillinsteadsilencecri+cismofIsraelthatisprotectedbytheFirstAmendment.”

4June2018

Concernsregardingthe“An+-Semi+smAwarenessActof2018”

MiddleEastStudiesAssocia+onleUertoCongress “ManyoftheexamplesprovidedinthatFactSheetclearlyconflatecri+cismofIsraeliac+onsandpolicies,andofZionismasapoli+calideology,withan+-Semi+sm.Byembracingthem,thebillwouldrequiretheDepartmentofEduca+ontodeployaverybroadandvaguedefini+onofan+-Semi+smwhichcouldhaveachillingeffectonteachingabout,andpublicdiscussionof,theIsraeli-Pales+nianconflictoncollegeanduniversitycampuses.Itwould,infact,likelyhavetheperverseeffectofdefiningasan+-Semi+smcri+cismsofIsraelorofZionismadvancedbyIsraeliorAmericanJewishscholars,orbysomeoftheJewishstudentsthislegisla+onisostensiblydesignedtoprotect.”

1June2018

LibertymemberswarnagainstIHRA'sdefini+onofan+-semi+sm

MorningStar(UK) “HumanrightscampaigngroupLibertyhaswarnedagainsttheInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliance's(IHRA)defini+onof‘an+-semi+sm.’Aresolu+onpassedbymembersofthegroupinmid-Maysaysthegovernment-adopteddefini+onblurred‘thepreviouslyclearunderstandingofthenatureofan+-semi+sm’andrisks‘underminingthedefencesagainstit.’ItalsosaidIHRA’sdefini+onthreatenedfreedomofexpressionby‘confla+ngan+-semi+smwithcri+cismofIsraelandlegi+matedefenceoftherightsofPales+nians.’”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 41 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

29May2018

Newfederalan+-Semi+smact,sameFirstAmendmentproblem

TheFire/WillCreeley-LegalDirector “AsFIREhasrepeatedlypointedoutinrecentyears,incorpora+ngtheStateDepartment’sdefini+onthreatensspeechprotectedbytheFirstAmendment.TheStateDepartmentdefini+onisproblema+callyvague—ittargets“acertainpercep+onofJews,whichmaybeexpressedashatredtowardJews”—andbroadenoughtoallowfortheinves+ga+onandpunishmentofcorepoli+calspeech,suchasthecri+cismofIsraelipolicy.SynchronizingtheDepartmentofEduca+on’sreviewofallegedTitleVIviola+onswiththisunboundeddefini+onplacescampusspeechrightsatrisk.“

24May2018

LawmakersReintroduceFederalBillAimedatCensoringPales+neAdvocacyonCampuses

Pales+neLegal “Yesterday,membersofCongressannouncedthereintroduc+onoftheAn+-Semi+smAwarenessAct(ASAA),abillaimedatcensoringPales+neadvocacyoncollegecampusesbyimposingontheU.S.DepartmentofEduca+on(DOE)awidely-cri+cizedandoverbroadre-defini+onofan+semi+smthatclassifiesvirtuallyallspeechcri+calofIsraelasan+semi+c.Ifenacted,itwouldbeusedtojus+fyinves+ga+onsagainstPales+neac+vistsoncampuswhileaddingnonewlegalprotec+onsforJewishstudents,whoarealreadycoveredunderfederalan+-discrimina+onlaws.”

24May2018

DefendingRights&DissentCallsonCongresstoRejectCynicallyMisnamedBillDesignedtoHamperHumanRightsAdvocacy

Rights&Dissent “An+-semi+sm,likeallformsofbigotry,isreprehensible,buttheso-calledAn+-Semi+smAwarenessActisacynicalaUempttoexploitgoodfaithconcernsaboutan+-Semi+smtosilencestudentspeech.Thebill’srealtargetisnotan+-semi+smatall,butstudentpoli+calspeechinsupportofPales+nianhumanrights.Assuch,itisuncons+tu+onal.”

23May2018

ACLUStatementonSenateIntroduc+onof‘An+-Semi+smAwarenessAct’

ACLU “theproposedbillriskschillingcons+tu+onallyprotectedspeechbyincorrectlyequa+ngcri+cismofIsraelwithan+-Semi+sm.Andthereisnoneedforanewbilltoprotectstudentsfroman+-Semi+charassment,becausethatisalreadyprohibitedunderTitleVI.Weworrythatthelawwillleadcollegestosuppressspeech,especiallyiftheDepartmentofEduca+onlaunchesinves+ga+onssimplybecausestudentshaveengagedinspeechcri+calofIsrael.Collegecampusesshouldbehavensforfreeexpression,andstudentsmustbefreetoexpresstheiropinionsandviewpoints,solongastheyavoidharassment.WeurgeCongresstorejectthisdangerousandunnecessarybill.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 42 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

7Nov2017

Transcript:HouseJudiciaryCommiUeeHearing,“ExaminingAn+=Semi+smonCollegeCampuses"

Seetes+monyofProfessorBarryTrachtenberg,RubinPresiden+alChairofJewishHistory,Director,JewishStudiesProgram,WakeForestUniversity

“Legisla+onsuchastheAn+-Semi+smAwarenessAct,however,isnotagenuineaUempttocontendwithactualan+-Semi+sm.ButratherisanaUempttoquellwhatareinfactprotectedactsofspeechthatarevitalandnecessarytothescholarlymissionsofeduca+onalins+tu+onsandtothefunc+oningofdemocra+csocie+es…Itwouldbeill-advisedforCongresstoestablishlegalauthorityonthedefini+onofan+-Semi+smthatissodeeplycontested.ToinsistthatIsraelcannotbeprotestedorobjectedto,tomandatethatcollec+veJewishpowercannotbeanalyzedordebated,ortoconcludedthatJews--becausetheywereoncevic+msofhumani+esgreatestgenocidalcrimes--aresomehowimmuneforbecomingperpetratorsofviolenceagainstotherpeople'sreinforcesthean+-Semi+cbelievethatJewsarefundamentallydifferentpeople.Mostdangerouslyofall,aUemptstobroadenthedefini+onofan+-Semi+smtoencompassphenomenathatareclearlynotan+-Jewishcanonlymakeitmoredifficulttorecognize,isolate,andopposeactualan+-Semi+chatredwhenitdoesappear.”

7Nov2017

WriUenTes+monyofKennethS.Stern,Execu+veDirector,Justus&KarinRosenbergFounda+on

KennethStern,tes+fyingbeforettheU.S.HouseofRepresenta+vesCommiUeeontheJudiciary

“Thedefini+onwasnotdraeed,andwasneverintended,asatooltotargetorchillspeechonacollegecampus.Infact,ataconferencein2010abouttheimpactofthedefini+on,Ihighlightedthismisuse,andthedamageitcoulddo.”

7Nov2017

WriUenTes+monyofProf.BarryTrachtenberg,PhD,WakeForestUniversity

Prof.BarryTrachtenberg,PhD,tes+fyingbeforetheU.S.HouseofRepresenta+vesCommiUeeontheJudiciary

“Consideringthemul+ple—andconstantlyshieing—formsofan+semi+smthathaveemergedsincetheterm“An+-Semi+sm”firstappearedinGermanyinthelatenineteenthcentury,itwouldbeill-advisedforCongresstoestablishlegalauthorityonadefini+onofan+semi+smthatissodeeplycontested.ToinsistthatIsraelcannotbeprotestedorobjectedto,tomandatethatcollec+veJewishpowercannotbeanalyzedordebated,ortoconcludethatJews,becausetheywereoncevic+msofoneofhumanity’sgreatestgenocidalcrimes,aresomehowimmunefrombecomingperpetratorsofactsofviolenceagainstotherpeoples,wouldonlyreinforcethean+semi+cbeliefthatJewsareafundamentallydifferentpeople.Moreover,andperhapsmostdangerouslyofall,aUemptstobroadenthedefini+onofan+semi+smtoencompassphenomenathatareclearlynotan+-Jewishcanonlymakeitmoredifficulttorecognize,isolate,andopposeactualan+semi+chatredwhenitdoesappear.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 43 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

2May2017(Updated14Sept2020)

An+-Semi+smbillwouldsuppressopendiscussiononIsrael

ThePost&Courier/ShariRabin(assistantprofessorintheJewishStudiesprogramattheCollegeofCharleston)&JoshuaShanes(associateprofessor)

“Inourclassrooms,skep+cismandcri+calthinkingareencouragedandnurtured,notforbiddenbecauseofcontemporarypoli+calconsidera+ons.Ourgoalistoencouragefreeandopendiscourseonthewidestpossiblerangeofideas,includingcontroversialones.Howcanwepossiblynurtureanopenenvironmenttoconsiderbigques+onslikethenatureofthemodernstateandcompe+ngclaimsbetweenandwithinna+onsif,asthebillindicates,suchdiscourseisdeemedan+-Semi+c?Mustwedeclarethevastmajorityofrabbinicintelligentsiaofacenturyagotobean+-Semi+cbecausetheyopposedtheideaofJewishstatehood?WhataboutJewstodaywhofollowthoserabbinicvoices,orevenpassionateZionistswhoarepersuadedbyZionistargumentsthatsupportawithdrawalfromtheWestBank?(Thebill’smainsponsorhaspubliclyaccusedsuchJewsofan+-Semi+sm.)Ironically,underthisnewlaw,evenoneofthemostrespectedIsraelStudiestextbooksinuse—–AlanDowty’sIsrael/Pales+ne—mightbedeemedan+-Semi+cfordefendingthevalidityofbothIsraeliandPales+niannarra+ves.(Dr.Dowtyisabouttobehonoredforlife+meachievementbytheAssocia+onforIsraelStudiesatBrandeisUniversity.)”

5May2017

HowLegisla+veEffortstoDefineAn+semi+smThreatenAcademicFreedom

AcademeBlog/KennethS.Stern&ErnstBenjamin “someright-wingJewishgroupsandindividualsdecidedtousethean+semi+smdefini+onaspartofTitleVI-basedlawsuits.Whilethecasesalsoincludedallega+onsofharassingconduct,theynonethelesscomplainedthataboutexpressionstheysaidtransgressedthedefini+on.AfindingofaTitleVIviola+oncanresultinlossoffederalfunding.Amongthecomplaints,aprogramabout‘theOccupa+on,’afilmtermed‘propaganda,’classroomtextsallegedtobe‘one-sidedandan+-Israel,’andaprogram,‘ArabsandTheHolocaust,’whichallegedlyclaimedthatIsrael’screa+onwasa‘tragedy’forPales+nians.AsKennethStern(whowasthenwiththeAmericanJewishCommiUee)andthenAAUPPresidentCaryNelsonwarnedsixyearsagoinajointstatement(laterrepudiatedbytheAJC),thisisamisuseofthedefini+onandofTitleVI,andwasanefforttochillpoli+calspeech.”

4May2017

DefiningAn+-Semi+sm LondonReviewofBooks/StephenSedley “Shornofphilosophicalandpoli+calrefinements,an+-Semi+smishos+litytowardsJewsasJews.Whereitmanifestsitselfindiscriminatoryactsorinflammatoryspeechitisgenerallyillegal,lyingbeyondtheboundsoffreedomofspeechandofac+on.Bycontrast,cri+cism(andequallydefence)ofIsraelorofZionismisnotonlygenerallylawful:itisaffirma+velyprotectedbylaw.Endeavourstoconflatethetwobycharacterisingeverythingotherthananodynecri+cismofIsraelasan+-Semi+carenotnew.Whatisnewistheadop+onbytheUKgovernment(andtheLabourParty)ofadefini+onofan+-Semi+smwhichendorsestheconfla+on.”

4May2017

OverbroadSouthCarolina“An+-Semi+sm”BillOffendsFreeSpeech,MakesSameMistakeasFederalLegisla+on

PENAmerica “AproposedSouthCarolinabillthatwouldrequirethestatetoadoptafederaldefini+onofan+-Semi+smthatencompassescri+cismofthestateofIsraeloffendstheFirstAmendment,andwouldlikelychillvigorousdebateoncampus,PENAmericasaidtoday.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 44 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

25Apr2017

S.C.an+-Semi+smbillisn’tneeded

ThePost&Courier/KennethS.Stern “I’vespentmyprofessionalcareeropposinghatredandan+-Semi+sm.SowhyamIagainstSouthCarolinaadop+ngadefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,basedupononeIwrote?H.3643,nowbeforetheSenateHigherEduca+onsubcommiUee,soundsreasonable.Itsaysthedefini+onofan+-Semi+smshouldbeconsideredwhen‘reviewing,inves+ga+ng,ordecidingwhethertherehasbeenaviola+onofacollegeoruniversitypolicyprohibi+ngdiscriminatoryprac+cesonthebasisofreligion.’ButitisreallyanaUempttocreateaspeechcodeaboutIsrael.ItisanunnecessarylawwhichwillhurtJewishstudentsandtheacademy.”

27March2017

IHRAdefini+onofan+semi+smnotfitforpurpose

OpinionbyHughTomlinsonQC[alsoseeJewsishnews/TimesofIsrael3April2017:Leadinglawyerroundson‘unclearandconfusing’IHRAan+-Semi+smdefini+on

“Insummary,therefore,itismyviewthat:·TheIHRA‘non-legallybindingworkingdefini+on’ofan+semi+smisunclearandconfusingandshouldbeusedwithcau+on.The‘examples’accompanyingtheIHRADefini+onshouldbeunderstoodinthelightofthedefini+onanditshouldbeunderstoodthattheconductlistedisonlyan+semi+cifitmanifestshatredtowardsJews…Thefactthatspeechisoffensivetoapar+culargroupisnot,ofitself,apropergroundforprohibi+onorsanc+on.TheIHRADefini+onshouldnotbeadoptedwithoutcarefuladdi+onalguidanceontheseissues.ProperlyunderstoodinitsowntermstheIHRADefini+ondoesnotmeanthatac+vi+essuchasdescribingIsraelasastateenac+ngpoliciesofapartheid,asprac+singseUlercolonialismorcallingforpoliciesofboycoUdivestmentorsanc+onsagainstIsraelcanproperlybecharacterizedasan+semi+c.ApublicauthoritywhichsoughttoapplytheIHRADefini+ontoprohibitorsanc+onsuchac+vi+eswouldbeac+ngunlawfully.”

27Feb2017

FreespeechonIsraelunderaUackinuniversi+es

LeUerintheGuardianbylonglistofUKprofessors “Thespikeinfar-rightan+semi+cincidentsonUKcampusesthatyoureport(UKuniversi+esurgedtoactoverspateofan+semi+cs+ckersandgraffi+,18Feb)seemstoreflecttheincreaseinxenophobiasincetheBrexitvote.Yetthegovernmenthas“adopted”theInterna+onalHolocaustRemembranceAlliancedefini+onofan+semi+sm,whichcanbeandisbeingreadasextendingtocri+cismofIsraelandsupportforPales+nianrights,anen+relyseparateissue,asprimafacieevidenceofan+semi+sm.Thisdefini+onseekstoconflatecri+cismofIsraelwithan+semi+sm.”

3Feb2017

CorrespondentoftheDay:An+-Semi+smlegisla+onbadidea

RichmondTimes-Dispatch/KennethStern “Thebill’sdefini+onisbasedononeIwroteforEuropeandatacollectors.Itwasneverintendedtoregulatecampusspeech.Yetpreviousfederalcomplaintshavemisusedthedefini+on,arguingthatan+-Israeloran+-Zionistpoli+calspeechcons+tutesan+-Semi+charassment,puongtheschool’sfederalfundinginjeopardy.”

28Dec2016

WillBritain’snewdefini+onofan+semi+smhelpJewishpeople?I’mscep+cal

DavidFeldman-professorofhistoryanddirectorofthePearsIns+tutefortheStudyofAn+semi+sm,SchoolofSocialScience,HistoryandPhilosophy,Birkbeck,UniversityofLondon),intheGuardian

“Hereisthedefini+on’skeypassage:‘An+semi+smisacertainpercep+onofJews,whichmaybeexpressedashatredtowardsJews.’Thisisbewilderinglyimprecise.Thetextalsocarriesdangers.Ittrailsalistof11examples.Sevendealwithcri+cismofIsrael.Someofthepointsaresensible,somearenot.Crucially,thereisadangerthattheoveralleffectwillplacetheonusonIsrael’scri+cstodemonstratetheyarenotan+semi+c.ThehomeaffairscommiUeeadvisedthatthedefini+onrequiredqualifica+on‘toensurethatfreedomofspeechismaintainedinthecontextofdiscourseonIsraelandPales+ne’.Itwasignored.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 45 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

15Dec2016

ABilltoPoliceCampusSpeech

WallStreetJournal/ErwinChemerinskyandHowardGillman “Manypeoplehavestrongfeelingsaboutsuchviews.ButtheFirstAmendmentprotectstheexpressionofallideas,evenifracistandan+-Semi+c.Basicprinciplesofacademicfreedomrequirethatuniversi+esdothesame.Schoolscanpreventandpunishthreats,harassmentanddestruc+onofproperty,butnevertheexpressionofviews.YetthisbillwouldrequiretheEduca+onDepartmenttofocusonexactlythat:theideasexpressedoncampus.AndthebillcoversmorethansimplyhatefulspeechtowardJewishstudents.Itcouldincludecri+cizingIsraelipoliciesorarguingagainsttheexistenceofIsrael,speechthatisprotectedbytheCons+tu+on.”

13Dec2016

WhytheProposed"An+semi+smAwarenessAct"IsaBadIdea

TheFacultyLounge/SteveLubet “Aninclusivedefini+onofan+semi+smisimportantforpublicunderstandingandciviceduca+on,especiallywhenitcomestoIsrael,butitwouldbeawrongtoturnitintoabludgeon.Therisk,therefore,isthattheStateDepartmentdefini+onofan+semi+smcouldbeusedtocutoffcampusdebateoverIsrael,ortosilenceadvocatesoftheBoycoU,Divestment,andSanc+ons(BDS)movement.”

12Dec2016

WillCampusCri+cismofIsraelViolateFederalLaw?

NewYorkTimes/KennethS.Stern “What’snext?ShouldCongressdefinewhatspeechisIslamophobic?An+-Pales+nian?Racist?An+-white?Howaboutdefining‘an+-UnitedStates’speech?WecoulddustoffthefilesoftheHouseUn-AmericanAc+vi+esCommiUee…Ifthisbillbecomeslawitiseasytoimaginecallsforuniversityadministratorstostoppro-Pales+nianspeech.EveniflawsuitsallegingTitleVIviola+onsfail,studentsandfacultymemberswillbescaredintosilence,andadministratorswillerronthesideofsuppressingorcensuringspeech.”

6Dec2016

SenatePassesBillAimedatSilencingPro-Pales+nianAc+vismonCampuses

Rights&Dissent/ChipGibbons “theAn+-Semi+smAwarenessActhasliUletodowithactualan+-Semi+sm,andisinsteadpartofabroaderagendatousethelegisla+veprocesstopunishsupportersofPales+nianhumanrightsfortheiradvocacy.ItseekstodosobyallowingtheDepartmentofEduca+ontousetheso-called‘StateDepartmentdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm.’”

6Dec2016

TheAn+-Semi+smAwarenessActwoulddamagefreespeechrightsoncampus

LATimes/LizJackson-Pales+neLegal “SinceDonaldTrump’selec+on,awaveofhateaUackshavetargetedJews,Muslimsandothervulnerablegroups.What’sthegovernmentdoingaboutit?Nothing.ButtheU.S.SenatedidpassabilllastweekcalledtheAn+-Semi+smAwarenessAct,whichcracksdownonthecons+tu+onalrightsofcollegestudentsandfacultytocri+cizeIsrael.TheHousewillvoteonitanydaynow.TheAn+-Semi+smAwarenessActendorsestheStateDepartmentdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm,whichincludes“delegi+mizing”Israel,“demonizing”IsraelorholdingIsraeltoa“doublestandard.”ThebilldirectstheDepartmentofEduca+ontoconsiderthisdefini+onwheninves+ga+ngcomplaintsofan+-Semi+smoncampus.Butthebilldoesnotaddanynewprotec+onsforJewishstudents;theCivilRightsActof1964,andtheDepartmentofEduca+on’sinterpreta+onofthestatute,alreadyprotectsJewishstudentsagainstdiscrimina+on.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 46 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

6Dec2016

LeUertoMembersofCongressfromKennethS.Stern,Execu+veDirector,Justus&KarinRosenbergFounda+on

KennethStern,wri+ngtoMembersofCongressinopposi+onto“TheAn+-Semi+smAwarenessActof2016”

“IfdenyingtherightofIsraeltoexistisenshrinedasan+semi+smbylaw,wouldCongressthenpassparallellegisla+ondefiningopposi+ontoaPales+nianstateasan+-Pales+nianism?Woulditadoptadefini+onofracism,perhapsincludingopposi+ontoaffirma+veac+on?WoulditpasslawsdefiningIslamophobia,an+-LGBTanimus,an+-immigrantbias,an+-whitebias,etc.?Andifcampuspoli+calspeechcannotemploy“doublestandards,”astheDepartmentofStatedefini+onrejectsregardingIsrael,doesthismeanthatpoli+calspeechagainstChinaorRussiaortheU.S.whichdoesn’temployparallelsagainstothercountriesmightsomedaybelegallysuspecttoo?”

5Dec2016

ACLUleUertoMembersofCongressopposingAn+-Semi+smAwarenessAct

ACLU "Elimina+ngtrulyan+-Semiticconductshouldbeagoalofouren+resociety.Indeed,weshouldallac+velyinvolveourselvesinencouragingourbrothersandsisterstorefrainfroman+-Semi+cconductandspeech.Itisoffensiveandharmful.ButtheFirstAmendmentpreventsthefederalgovernmentfromusingitsgreatweighttoimposeseverepenal+esonapersonsimplyforsharingapoli+calviewpointcri+calofIsrael.Indeed,FirstAmendmentprotec+onsaremostimportantwhenspeakerstakecontroversialorunpopularposi+onsthatmightarousestrongfeelings,passions,andhos+lity.”

5Dec2016

CivilRightsOrgs’leUertoCongressionalleaders

LeUertoReps.GoodlaUe&ConyersfromPales+neLegal,CenterforCons+tu+onalRights,Na+onalLawyersGuild,JewishVoiceforPeace,FCNL,USCampaignforPales+nianRights,Rights&Dissent,AMP,ADC

“Ascivilandhumanrightsorganiza+onscommiUedtoracialjus+ce,wesupportyoureffortstoconfrontracismandbigotryoncampusesacrosstheU.S.However,wewritetoraiseconcernswiththeAn+-Semi+smAwarenessAct(theAct),whichdirectstheU.S.DepartmentofEduca+on(DOE)toconsiderawidelydiscreditedre-defini+onofan+-Semi+sminassessingwhetherallegedviola+onsofTitleVIoftheCivilRightsActare‘mo+vatedbyan+-Semi+cintent.’Thisvagueandoverbroadre-defini+onconflatespoli+calcri+cismofIsraelwithan+-Semi+sm,infringingoncons+tu+onallyprotectedspeech.There-defini+onisespeciallydetrimentaltouniversi+es,wherefreedomofspeech,cri+calinquiry,andunfeUereddebateareintegral.There-defini+on’sapplica+ontocollegecampuseshasevenbeenrepudiatedbyitsoriginaldraeer,KennethStern.”

21Jun2016

CampusBDSandthelaw:First,donoharm

JewishJournal/KennethStern “SomeintheJewishcommunitysaythatacademicfreedomisimportant,butnotasimportantasopposingan+semi+sm.Thustheyhaveadvocateduniversi+esadopttheDepartmentofStateDefini+onofAn+semi+sm,tohelpiden+fywhatpoli+calspeechshouldbeconsideredbigoted(adefactospeechcodebasedonadefini+onneverintendedforcampususe);encouragedspyingonfaculty;andpresumingthatafacultymember’spoli+cssomehowrendersthemincapableofevalua+ngstudents’workbasedonmerits,ratherthanpoli+calposi+on.Ontopofallthis,theyhavebroughtandthreatenedlawsuitscomplainingaboutpoli+calspeech.Essen+ally,thepro-Israelcommunityisperceivedtobesayingitcan’twinthedebateonthemerits,butinsteadhastotryandshutdowntheotherside.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 47 48

Last updated: June 21, 2021

21Mar2016

LeUertoJanetNapolitano,PresidentofUniversityofCalifornia,fromKennethS.Stern,Execu+veDirector,Justus&KarinRosenbergFounda+on

KennethStern “We…aredeeplyconcernedbytheproclama+onthat‘An+-Semi+sm,an+-Zionismandotherformsofdiscrimina+onhavenoplaceattheUniversityofCalifornia…whilean+-Zionism,inmayinstances,reflectsdiscrimina+on,thedirectequa+onistoobluntaninstrumenttoadopt.Itisnoonlyhistoricallyandconceptuallyinaccurate,itwillalsoshilltheabilityofstudentsandfacultytoexpressideasabouttheIsrael/Pales+neconflict.”

21Aug2015

TheUniversityofCalifornia,‘microaggressions,’andsupposedlyan+-Semi+ccri+cismofIsrael

WashingtonPost/EugeneVolokh “NowIgenerallysupportIsrael,andIdothinkthatmuchofthecri+cismofIsraelisunfairandquitelikelyan+-Semi+c.ButIdon’tthinktheUCadministra+onhasanybusinesscondemningthissortofpoli+calexpressionrelatedtoIsrael,whetherfairorotherwise,andregardlessofwhatwesuspectmightbeintheheartsofthosewhomakethesearguments.WhatistherightviewandwhatisthewrongviewoftheconflictintheMiddleEastshouldbeamaUerforacademicsandstudentstodebate,withouttheuniversitycondemningonesideasbigots—which,aswiththe“microaggressions,”sendsastrongmessagetountenuredfacultymembers,graduatestudentsandothersthattheyhadbeUernotsaycertainthings.(Ofcourse,actualdiscrimina+onagainstJewishstudentsshouldindeedbespokenoutagainst,andphysicalaUacks,vandalismanddisrup+onofeventsshouldbeforbidden;butthatdoesn’trequiretheadop+onoftheStateDepartmentdefini+on.)”

22Jun2015

Shouldamajoruniversitysystemhaveapar+culardefini+onofan+-Semi+sm?

LATimes/KennethStern “Thosewhowanttheuniversitysystemtoadoptthedefini+onsayitisn’taspeechcode(presumablybecausetheyrecognizethatspeechcodesarelikelyuncons+tu+onalandanathematotheidealsofacademicfreedom).Butthatispreciselywhattheyareseeking.”

22May2015

StateDepartment’sAn+-Semi+smDefini+onWouldLikelyViolateFirstAmendmentonPublicCampuses

TheFire/WillCreeley-LegalDirector “Inaradiointerviewyesterday,UniversityofCalifornia(UC)PresidentJanetNapolitanostatedthatshebelievestheUCsystemshouldadopttheU.S.StateDepartment’sdefini+onofan+-Semi+sm.Respondingtorecentcallsfromrabbis,faculty,andalumnifortheUCsystemtoadoptthedefini+on,NapolitanotoldJeremyHobsonofHere&NowthattheBoardofRegentswillvoteontheproposalinJuly.However,ifadoptedandusedasthebasisfordisciplinebyapublicuniversitysystem,theStateDepartment’sdefini+onofan+-Semi+smwouldlikelyviolatetheFirstAmendmentbyprohibi+ngprotectedexpression.”

20Apr2011

CaryNelsonandKennethSternPenOpenLeUeronCampusAn+semi+sm

CaryNelson&KenStern(AmericanJewishCommiUee);leUerwaslaterpubliclyrepudiatedbytheAJC(alsoseehere)

“Itisen+relyproperforuniversityadministrators,scholarsandstudentstoreferencethe‘workingdefini+on’iniden+fyingdefiniteorpossibleinstancesofan+semi+smoncampus.ItisaperversionofthedefiniContouseit,assomearedoing,inanaPempttocensorwhataprofessor,student,orspeakercansay.Becauseastatementmightbe‘countable’bydatacollectorsunderthe‘workingdefini+on’doesnotthereforemeanthatTitleVIisviolated.Toassertthisnotonlycontravenesthedefini+on’spurpose(itwasnotdraeedtolabelanyoneanan+semiteortolimitcampusspeech),italsoharmsthebaUleagainstan+semi+sm.”

Date Headline/Link Source/author(s) Excerpt

Author: Lara Friedman, Foundation for Middle East Peace Page of 48 48