BGU Adopts the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism
BGU Adopts the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism
August 12, 2024
Current events, Social Sciences & Humanities
Dr. Oren Tsur, BGU Head of the Center for Digital Policy and Strategy Research
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev News – In a historic move, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism (full IHRA definition of antisemitism here). BGU is the first among Israel’s research universities to endorse the IHRA’s resolution. BGU considers the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism to be of utmost importance, especially in light of the current despicable wave of antisemitism sweeping the world in response to the most horrific terror attack that the State of Israel and the Jewish people have experienced since the Holocaust.
Dr. Oren Tsur, Head of the Center for Digital Policy and Strategy Research at BGU, noted that the IHRA definition is comprehensive and includes various forms and nuances of antisemitism, such as ‘classic antisemitism’ and ‘new antisemitism,’ ‘antisemitism in speech and action,’ and so forth. He stated, “Given a law that prohibits antisemitism or hate speech, it will be possible to impose legal sanctions on actions or speech that fall under the IHRA definition of antisemitism.”
It is noteworthy that this definition is the result of a long democratic process and has been adopted by 43 countries and 1,200 bodies, entities, and organizations, including academic institutions worldwide. The massacre and other atrocities experienced by the residents of the Gaza border communities on October 7, 2023, have brought the issue of antisemitism back into sharp focus, underscoring the importance of broad consensus on its definition to prevent it from being altered to fit various political agendas.
Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted in her remarks at a recent conference the importance of Israeli academic institutions supporting this definition, enabling it to be referenced in official responses to institutions or individuals seeking to boycott on what can be defined as antisemitic grounds.
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