Why we should drop the IHRA definition of antisemitism
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The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) adopted a working definition of antisemitism in 2016. In October 2020, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson tried to impose this definition on universities, threatening their funding if they refused. This intimidation is part of the reason why 85 British higher education institutions have adopted it to date. Nevertheless, the IHRA definition remains severely problematic, and should be abandoned by both universities and the government.
The 38-word definition is vague, and in full reads:
‘Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.’