US Antisemitism Concept Bans Criticism of Israeli Institutions

Amid protests against the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved an update to "The Antisemitism Awareness Act," expanding the definition of anti-Semitism used by the U.S. Education Deparment.

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The new rule was approved with 320 votes in favor and 91 votes against. Among those who opposed the new version were 70 Democrats and 21 Republicans.

The bill changed the legal definition of anti-Semitism to include criticism of Israel, explained the Middle East Monitor.

"The law was rushed through Congress as the U.S.' political and media class seek to label the pro-Palestine movement on campuses, which is growing in size and influence, as anti-Semitic, therefore conflating political debate and criticism of Israel and its government with anti-Semitism," it explained.

Taking as a reference the definition proposed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), the House expanded the concept in such a way that the authorities may consider as a display of anti-Semitism any rhetorical or physical manifestation that targets "Jewish or non-Jewish people, or their property, community institutions and places of worship,” as reported by SwissInfo.

Among the anti-Semitic statements mentioned in the bill, for example, are making allegations “about a world Jewish conspiracy and or of Jews controlling the media, economy, and government.”

Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy with the policies of the Nazis during World War II are also stigmatized as anti-Semitic behavior.

Now the bill must be sent to the Senate for analysis and approval. If that happens, the United States will have to modify the definition of anti-Semitism included in the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Through a letter addressed to the U.S. legislators, however, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warned that the bill constitutes a threat to the free expression enshrined by the First Amendment.

“Federal law already prohibits antisemitic discrimination and harassment by federally funded entities. H.R. 6090 is therefore not needed to protect against antisemitic discrimination; Instead, it would likely chill free speech of students on college campuses by incorrectly equating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism,” it pointed out.

“While we wholly support efforts to fight discrimination and harassment through Title VI complaints and investigations, we strongly oppose use of the IHRA definition, or any definition of discrimination that threatens to censor or penalize political speech protected by the First Amendment,” ACLU added, as reported by CNN.