Defining Antisemitism
As you’ve seen from history, antisemitismHostility to or prejudice against Jews as individuals or as a collective. is complex and always mutating into new forms. New anti-Jewish myths are often recycled for new generations.
In order to help governments, police, courts, and other institutions better understand antisemitismHostility to or prejudice against Jews as individuals or as a collective., a group of countries (including the United Kingdom) known as the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) developed a definition of antisemitismHostility to or prejudice against Jews as individuals or as a collective.. This helps decision-making about what is or isn’t antisemitismHostility to or prejudice against Jews as individuals or as a collective..
This definition is now used by many countries, including the UK government (and therefore by all UK government institutions). It is the product of years of work by the world’s experts in antisemitismHostility to or prejudice against Jews as individuals or as a collective..
“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.”
Here are some examples of what patterns of antisemitism might include:
- Targeting of the state of Israel, simply because it is seen as a collection of Jewish people.
- Blaming Jews for conspiring to harm humanity, or for why things go wrong.
- Expressing Jewish stereotypes and negative character traits in speeches, writing and visual forms.
- Calling for, helping, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.
- Making dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Jews
- Talking about ‘the power of Jews’ as a collective (such as the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other institutions).
- Accusing all 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 genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of the Nazis and their 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, than to the countries where they live.
- Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination (e.g. not wanting the existence of a Jewish state).
- Applying double standards by demanding behaviour from Israel that is 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 libels) to characterise Israel or Israelis.
- Drawing comparisons of modern Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
- Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.
Antisemitic acts are criminal when they are defined by law (for example, denial of the Holocaust or distribution of antisemitic materials in some countries).
Criminal acts are antisemitic when the targets of attacks, whether they are people or property – such as buildings, schools, places of worship and cemeteries – are selected because they are, or are thought to be, Jewish or linked to Jews.
Antisemitic discrimination is the denial to Jews of opportunities or services available to others. This is illegal in many countries.
