The American Jewish Committee is urging the American Bar Association to include in a proposed resolution condemning antisemitism a “widely recognized” definition of the word promoted by a top Holocaust memorial group.
The ABA’s House of Delegates is slated to convene on Feb. 6 to debate and vote on a proposed resolution condemning antisemitism but is considering to opt out of using a definition provided by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, or IHRA, after groups such as Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union voiced concerns that the IHRA definition is “dangerously chilling” free speech.
“It is commendable that the American Bar Association would adopt a resolution to condemn antisemitism,” AJC wrote in a statement to the Washington Examiner, but it added that the group “is disappointed it does not include the widely recognized definition of antisemitism” from the IHRA.
The American Bar Association’s consideration of Resolution 514, condemning antisemitism, is welcome but flawed.
It fails to include @TheIHRA definition, which unpacks several forms of antisemitism.
Our letter to @ABAesq on the definition’s significance:https://t.co/TFQXPiU1mt pic.twitter.com/lQ4auYnrus
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) February 1, 2023
AJC rejected the notion that the definition would label all criticism of Israel as antisemitic, therefore chilling political speech. “It does no such thing,” the group said, noting it called on ABA President Deborah Enix-Ross in a letter dated Feb. 1 to adopt the IHRA definition.
The ABA’s proposal, Resolution 514, was initially drafted to include the IHRA definition but appeared to change course this week after the ACLU, HRW, and other groups claimed it could chill free speech that aims to defend Palestinian people.
A source close to the ABA’s deliberations told the Washington Examiner this week that while the updated proposal now omits the IHRA definition, it is “still subject to amendment/change.”
The IHRA definition was defended in an initial copy of the proposal as a “broadly endorsed definition” of antisemitism that is backed by the State Department. In the newly amended document, previously listed examples on Pages 9 and 10, such as “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israel policy to that of the Nazis” and “Holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel,” have been crossed off.
Another line of text was added on Page 16, stating: “Nothing in this Resolution is intended to limit any rights of free speech or advocacy.”
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In AJC’s closing remarks in the letter to Enix-Ross, the group thanked the ABA for considering the proposal “to join the ranks of those actively condemning antisemitism.”
Below is a copy of the amended Resolution 514 proposal that is still subject to change ahead of the Monday vote at the ABA Midyear Meeting in New Orleans.
