Comment on House Passes Bill That Defines Criticism of Israel as “Antisemitism”
BrikoX@lemmy.zip 5 months ago(2) includes the “[c]ontemporary examples of antisemitism” identified in the IHRA definition.
Contemporary examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to:
- Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.
- Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.
- Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.
- Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).
- Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
- Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
- Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
- Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
- Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
- Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
- Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.
All of these examples are part of the definition. So under this law, saying that Israel is an apartheid state or saying Israel is committing a genocide would be against the law. |
ACLU gives a few more examples of how fucked up this is if you are interested in reading.
alilbee@lemmy.world 5 months ago
I don’t believe it would be, actually? Both of your examples do not resemble any of the listed sub-items. Holding all Jewish people responsible for those items would be antisemitic, but they do also explicitly mention that any criticism that could be leveled at another state is valid. Comparing them to the Nazis is a no go, but it sounds as if you can accuse the state of Israel of apartheid or genocide and that is still not antisemitism under this bill.
To be clear, I am opposed to this law and believe it will have a chilling effect on speech. I just don’t think your examples above would be in violation.
BrikoX@lemmy.zip 5 months ago
That explicit mention is not part of the definition.
I’m no legal expert, so take everything I say as an opinion based on my understanding, but actual legal experts also say that it would be a violation.
alilbee@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Sorry, that “explicit” was referring to another page from the same source I saw referenced elsewhere in regards to this bill. I’ll retract that unless I can find it again.
Are the legal experts saying your examples above would be a violation? Do you have a link to that? If you are referring to the linked article, I’m not sure I’m seeing these two examples listed. Again, just want to emphasize I’m with yall on the bill here. I just want to actually understand and discuss the limits that might be applied here.
BrikoX@lemmy.zip 5 months ago
The list of “[c]ontemporary examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to” that exact wording is part of the law now. So anything the government decides works for them, they can use. And it might get struck down in the end, but random college students don’t have the capital to fight it out in courts. So it will 100% chill speech that criticizes the Israeli government.
Under “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” example, Israel can’t be an apartheid state. So anything that counters that is antisemitic under this law.
Under “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” example Israel can’t be committing a genocide because it would compare it to the Nazi Germany and their policy justifications used for killing Jews.
The whole list is made up of highly curated examples to create the best shield and sword Israel can use to label anyone that criticizes them as an antisemite.