Why The Definition Of Anti-Semitism Does Not Belong In The Hands Of Israel’s Enemies

Last week, as Jews around the world commemorated Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), over 100 organizations signed onto a Human Rights Watch letter urging the United Nations not to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism. This definition is widely accepted and necessary to ensure that Never Again isn’t just an empty phrase. However, HRW and its allies are concerned that the IHRA definition could be misused to silence speech critical of Israel. This concern is unfounded, as the definition accurately captures the essence of anti-Semitism and draws strength from the fact that the vast majority of Jewish people agree that it best encapsulates their shared lived experience of how anti-Semitism manifests. If HRW and its allies are truly concerned about IHRA’s misuse, they should direct their time and energy towards understanding what the definition actually says, rather than ignorantly and dangerously undermining a near-universal understanding that is finally raising awareness of the problem’s many manifestations. Anti-Semites should not get a say in defining anti-Semitism, and the U.N. should not shy away from the gold-standard definition to make the perpetrators of anti-Jewish hate feel more comfortable.

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