Jewish groups ‘extremely disturbed’ and say Biden ‘spoiled’ anti-Semitism policy

The White House on Thursday unveiled a 60-page strategy to counter anti-Semitism in the United States that some Jewish and anti-hate groups say misses the mark.

The Biden administration cites an alarming increase in hate crimes that disproportionately affect American Jews as part of the boost to government-led efforts to combat anti-Semitism.

As part of the strategy’s four-pillar approach, the White House seeks to increase awareness and understanding of anti-Semitism, including how it threatens America, and to broaden appreciation for the American Jewish heritage.

The administration also wants to improve the safety and security of Jewish communities; reverse the normalization of anti-Semitism and combat anti-Semitic discrimination; and build “cross-community” solidarity and collective action to counter hate.

But some groups have taken offense to what the White House says it considers anti-Semitism and argue President Biden has chosen a watered-down definition of the term that doesn’t say it’s anti-Semitic to oppose the creation of Israel or prevent the Jewish state from different standards from those of other countries.

Rather than using only the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which is favored by many mainstream Jewish organizations, the White House strategy calls several definitions of antisemitism “valuable.” .

“The most important is the non-legally binding ‘working definition’ of anti-Semitism adopted in 2016 by the 31 member states of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), which the United States has adopted” , recognizes the strategy of the White House.

The document continues, “Furthermore, the administration welcomes and appreciates the Nexus document and notes other such efforts.”

The Zionist Organization of America argued in a statement Thursday that “the Nexus document states that opposition to Zionism – that is, the right of the Jewish people to self-determination and to live as a state – nation in its religious and ancestral homeland – is not necessarily anti-Semitic.

“The Nexus document fails to understand that for many, if not most Jews, their connection to their religious and ancestral homeland is an essential part of their Jewish identity.”

Liora Rez, executive director of watchdog group StopAntisemitism, says the Biden administration’s acceptance of many definitions “goes against the plan’s assertion that ‘if we can’t name, identify and admit a problem, we can’t begin to solve it.”

In a statement, Rez adds that she is “extremely disturbed by several key aspects of the White House’s anti-Semitism strategy” and says the Biden plan “falls short.”

“Contrary to the advice of leading antisemitism advocacy organizations, the plan does not use the IHRA definition to delineate what counts as antisemitism, instead relegating it to a brief paragraph that also includes the lower, competing definition. of the Nexus,” writes Rez.

“Not using the IHRA as a fundamental guide creates a gaping hole; while the plan acknowledges that Jews were targeted because of their connection to Israel, it fails to name anti-Zionism as a primary form of anti-Semitism,” she said.

Similarly, Republican Jewish Coalition CEO Matt Brooks said in a statement that “Joe Biden had the opportunity to take a strong stand against anti-Semitism and he missed it.”

“The IHRA definition of anti-Semitism is the definition endorsed by all mainstream Jewish organizations. Biden’s special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism urged other countries to “embrace” it as an “integral” tool against the rising tide of Jew-hatred. The IHRA definition is indispensable because it recognizes that criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic when it delegitimizes, demonizes or applies double standards to Israel,” Brooks adds.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean and director of global social action at the Simon Wiesenthal Center — a global Jewish human rights organization — on Thursday applauded the White House’s efforts, but in his praise he highlighted the importance of the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism. .

“At the heart of this fight is the adoption of the IHRA’s definition of anti-Semitism by all agencies, Internet companies, universities and cultural institutions in our country. For without a single definition, accountability for anti-Semitic acts and hate crimes would be made much more difficult,” Rabbi Cooper said in a statement.

He adds that “we must also remember that a significant part of the anti-Semitic hatred generated against the Jewish people is specifically aimed at the genocidal and murderous rhetoric and acts against the democratic Jewish State of Israel which is today home to the largest world Jewish community. .”

Rabbi Cooper notes in a statement to the Washington Free Beacon that “the fight against anti-Semitism cannot be a multiple-choice question.”

The Republican Jewish Coalition also believes the White House bowed to the influence of the “anti-Israel left” in crafting the document.

“After initial reports that his new strategy would enshrine the IHRA definition, the Biden administration came under heavy pressure from the anti-Israel left, forcing a delay in the rollout. Now, hours before a Jewish holiday and in the final days of American Jewish Heritage Month, the White House is attempting a last-minute overlap – undermining the IHRA definition by promoting alongside it an alternative definition that says enforce double standards and singling out the Jewish state for criticism is not anti-Semitic.

“This decision seriously weakens the strategy of the White House. It’s yet another example of Biden caving in to anti-Israel radicals who are building a growing Democratic constituency at the elected and local levels. It is clear that only a Republican president will fully embrace the IHRA definition and put the full force of the federal government behind the fight against anti-Semitism in all its forms,” Brooks writes.

StopAntisemitism also criticized Biden for allowing the plan to morph into a strategy to fight other hate crimes and not just focus on antisemitism.

“The plan will not even allow anti-Semitism to exist on its own, repeatedly mentioning planned executive actions to combat “anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and related forms of prejudice and discrimination.” Fighting Islamophobia and other bigotry is a great goal, but it doesn’t belong in this particular anti-Semitism strategy,” Rez said.

“The administration has grossly missed its chance to make a clear statement about what constitutes anti-Semitism, and American Jews will suffer for it,” she added.

The White House did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.