The IHRA‘s proposal to adopt the definition of antisemitism as part of “Combating Antisemitism in Vancouver” was rejected by the Vancouver City Council after a joint campaign by several civil society organizations, including Independent Jewish Voices and Palestinian groups.
Members of Independent Jewish Voices in Vancouver, together with Palestinian groups in Vancouver and other groups involved in the struggle for rights, had organized a campaign that reached out directly to members of Congress. The Independent Jewish Voices group emphasized the importance of combating antisemitism and stated that they will continue to work on approaches to combat antisemitism. The group is continuing its #NoIHRA campaign to explain why the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism is the wrong line of struggle.
Eli Haligua interviewed Joanne Naiman of Independent Jewish Voices, the Vancouver-based group that played a key role in the rejection of the IHRA’s proposed definition of antisemitism at Vancouver City Council, about the IHRA’s definition and the controversial issues surrounding antisemitism.
EH: Why Independent Jewish Voices against Vancouver City Council’s adoption to IHRA’s antisemitism definition?
JN: Our short reply is this: the IHRA def’n would not in any way help to fight prejudice and discrimination in Vancouver. Its main purpose from the outset was to restrict international criticism of the State of Israel by defining it as de facto anti-semitism. Absurdly, wherever it passes, citizens can criticize any state–including their own–but not the State of Israel!
The second issue is that there is a diversity of ethnic/racial groups in Vancouver, all of whom deserve protection. Hence, the statement brought to city council needed to be expanded to cover all racial and ethnic groups in our city.
EH: If we need an antisemitism definition to combat antisemitism, what should it be?
JN: There are many definitions already in existence. Merriam-Webster defines it this way: hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
EH: What do you think about Antizionism=Antisemitism equation?
JN: These 2 concepts are not the same. Anti-semitism is against the Jewish people as a whole (see #2); anti-zionism is against a colonial ideology that gives special privileges to Jewish residents in Israel/Palestine, just as apartheid laws in South Africa gave privileges to white people.
EH: May I learn about your thoughts about BDS?
JN: Palestinian civil society has called on the world to use economic pressure on the State of Israel–similar to the earlier anti-apartheid movement did re South Africa–to get it to end its discriminatory practices and outright aggression against the Palestinian people. We support this call.
EH: There are accusations about Jeremy Corbyn and Ilhan Omar about antisemitism. Could you please tell your opinions about these accusations?
JN: I cannot claim to know much about these individuals, but from what little I’ve read, it seems to be yet another case of trying to shut down any discussion in the U.S. and in Great Britain regarding the Palestinian crisis in Israel/Palestine (again, by labeling anyone who criticizes the State of Israel as an anti-semite).
EH: Usually, right-wing and Zionist groups define the organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace and you as a “self-hater”. What do you think about this?
JN: This is a just plain absurd accusation. They want to discredit us but since we’re Jewish they can’t call us anti-semitic, so they’ve come up with this term. We don’t hate ourselves; rather, we have respect and kindness for many groups other than our own; we want to show the Palestinians and the world that there are Jewish people/groups who want to make the world a better place for everyone.
The IHRA‘s proposal to adopt the definition of antisemitism as part of “Combating Antisemitism in Vancouver” was rejected by the Vancouver City Council after a joint campaign by several civil society organizations, including Independent Jewish Voices and Palestinian groups.
Members of Independent Jewish Voices in Vancouver, together with Palestinian groups in Vancouver and other groups involved in the struggle for rights, had organized a campaign that reached out directly to members of Congress. The Independent Jewish Voices group emphasized the importance of combating antisemitism and stated that they will continue to work on approaches to combat antisemitism. The group is continuing its #NoIHRA campaign to explain why the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism is the wrong line of struggle.
Eli Haligua interviewed Joanne Naiman of Independent Jewish Voices, the Vancouver-based group that played a key role in the rejection of the IHRA’s proposed definition of antisemitism at Vancouver City Council, about the IHRA’s definition and the controversial issues surrounding antisemitism.
EH: Why Independent Jewish Voices against Vancouver City Council’s adoption to IHRA’s antisemitism definition?
JN: Our short reply is this: the IHRA def’n would not in any way help to fight prejudice and discrimination in Vancouver. Its main purpose from the outset was to restrict international criticism of the State of Israel by defining it as de facto anti-semitism. Absurdly, wherever it passes, citizens can criticize any state–including their own–but not the State of Israel!
The second issue is that there is a diversity of ethnic/racial groups in Vancouver, all of whom deserve protection. Hence, the statement brought to city council needed to be expanded to cover all racial and ethnic groups in our city.
EH: If we need an antisemitism definition to combat antisemitism, what should it be?
JN: There are many definitions already in existence. Merriam-Webster defines it this way: hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.
EH: What do you think about Antizionism=Antisemitism equation?
JN: These 2 concepts are not the same. Anti-semitism is against the Jewish people as a whole (see #2); anti-zionism is against a colonial ideology that gives special privileges to Jewish residents in Israel/Palestine, just as apartheid laws in South Africa gave privileges to white people.
EH: May I learn about your thoughts about BDS?
JN: Palestinian civil society has called on the world to use economic pressure on the State of Israel–similar to the earlier anti-apartheid movement did re South Africa–to get it to end its discriminatory practices and outright aggression against the Palestinian people. We support this call.
EH: There are accusations about Jeremy Corbyn and Ilhan Omar about antisemitism. Could you please tell your opinions about these accusations?
JN: I cannot claim to know much about these individuals, but from what little I’ve read, it seems to be yet another case of trying to shut down any discussion in the U.S. and in Great Britain regarding the Palestinian crisis in Israel/Palestine (again, by labeling anyone who criticizes the State of Israel as an anti-semite).
EH: Usually, right-wing and Zionist groups define the organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace and you as a “self-hater”. What do you think about this?
JN: This is a just plain absurd accusation. They want to discredit us but since we’re Jewish they can’t call us anti-semitic, so they’ve come up with this term. We don’t hate ourselves; rather, we have respect and kindness for many groups other than our own; we want to show the Palestinians and the world that there are Jewish people/groups who want to make the world a better place for everyone.
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