IHRA ‘misrepresents’ own definition of anti-Semitism, says report
JVL Introduction
Free Speech on Israel has published an explosive report on a controversial international definition of antisemitism by Jamie-Stern Weiner: The Politics of a Definition: How the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism Is Being Misrepresented.
We repost below the story produced by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit on the basis of this report.
It is a sordid story of dishonesty and political manipulation [“lying”] in which the Labour Party was blackmailed into accepting the “11 examples” attached to the IHRA definition when the IHRA’s own definition excluded them!
As Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, University of Oxford, points out in his Introduction to this new report:
- What is touted as the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism is not a definition, has little to do with antisemitism, and was neither written nor endorsed by IHRA. Such are the findings of this meticulously researched and politically explosive report.
Will Keir Starmer’s Labour Party do the honest thing and exonerate its former leader and all those who were tarnished as antisemitic – for simply telling the truth?
This article was originally published by Al Jazeera on Fri 23 Apr 2021. Read the original here.
IHRA ‘misrepresents’ own definition of anti-Semitism, says report
New report obtained exclusively by Al Jazeera details how the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance misinformed the public over its anti-Semitism definition.
Loading article text…
Excellent research by Jamie.
Will the Pro-Israel BoD/ JLM et al now say that the IHRA governing plenary was antisemitic in refusing to adopt the 11 examples?
This could be described as a farce if it were not so serious.
It has been obvious to many of us that the bogus and defamatory campaign against Jeremy Corbyn has been an outrage.
It was equally obvious that the “crisis of anti-Semitism” in the Labour Party was a right-wing contrivance to smear Corbyn and the Left.
It is probably Corbyn’s greatest failure that he never found the political courage to call out the lies that were advanced using the IHRA Working Definition as a crutch.
It therefore comes as no surprise to learn that the IHRA itself has cynically misrepresented its own Definition in an attempt to stifle support for Palestinian rights and to lend support to the racist State of Israel.
The tragedy is the extent to which the Definition has already been used to defame Corbyn and the Left in the Labour Party and to chill debate in this area.
The IHRA “definition” was never – in fact – a definition.
Apart from anything else it never covered the examples
which were supposed to illustrate it.
Just been watching “The Death of Stalin” – a farce.
In the early scenes the Committee were contradicting
themselves in an effort to placate the General Secretary.
It was the same with many of the PLP under Corbyn
who were tripping over themselves in order not to be
accused of antisemitism. The problem was that Corbyn
was never supported by the PLP who appeared to
be in thrall to the right wing.
By telling lies in support of a right-wing racist government, the IHRA has discredited itself and contributed to non-factually-based anti-Jewishness.
Great damage has been caused everywhere and democracy undermined.
As others have suggested, will the establishments and hierarchies who eagerly lapped up the lies now recant and ask pardon from their victims?
“The significance of this definition lies in the international cooperation that led to it … [I]t was unanimously approved by government representatives from all IHRA Member Countries. Gaining this level of international consensus was no easy feat”
In fact it was an impossible feat, never mind, we the [IHRA] concocted a list of possible anti Semitic phrases then lied to all and sundry that this was the gold standard on defining anti-Semitism. That the Labour party and Corbyn have been destroyed, and many Labour members were traduced and expelled from the party could be said to be the icing on the cake. Mission accomplished.
John Coates said that ‘It is probably Corbyn’s greatest failure that he never found the political courage to call out the lies that were advanced using the IHRA Working Definition as a crutch.’ And what do you think would have happened if he HAD John? Yes, he would have been condemned by all the usual suspects for doing so, and it would have been ‘presented’ as yet FURTHER evidence that he is anti-semitic. And anyone that thinks any different is either living in Cloud Cuckooland or being HIGHLY disingenuous! As if the MSM and the Jewish newspapers and the JLM and the CAA et al who all conspired in the ‘Anti-semitism’ smear campaign would have just remained silent and allowed him to do so. Of course they wouldn’t!
What more proof does anyone need that THAT is the case than the ‘contrast’ in the response – or lack thereof – to the fact that the LP is still using the antisemitism code of conduct drafted by the party in 2018 – ie that Labour’s new leader has been secretly using exactly the same code that Jeremy was condemned and vilified for? Or what happened when Jeremy said in a statement the day the EHRC published it’s fraudulent report that ‘The scale of the problem has been dramatically overstated by political opponents inside and outside the party and the media’ – ie for stating the actuality? Yes, the very people and groups who had been dramatically overstating the scale of the problem all piled in to condemn him AND he was then promptly suspended.
Oh, right, but if only Jeremy had had the ‘political courage’ to call out the lies, all the smearers and liars would have crawled away never to be heard from again. Yeah, sure John, as if!
But don’t let the reality of the situation deter you from blaming the victim for being the victim John!
This escapade raises serious questions about the integrity of the IHRA. More ammunition against the anti Palestinian definition of antisemitism touted in it’s name. No doubt the Israeli lobby will be concerned to keep this”under wraps”.