Jewish Council of Scotland urges University of Edinburgh not to drop IHRA definition
Jewish anti-Israel academics at the university have urged the institution to un-adopt the definition, which is seen as the gold standard by mainstream Jewish communal groups
The Jewish Council of Scotland (JCoS) has warned the University of Edinburgh against dropping the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, after Jewish anti-Israel academics at the university urged the institution to un-adopt it.
As reported by The Times, a motion submitted to the governing senate of the university by the university’s Jewish Staff Network describes the IHRA definition, which is supported by all mainstream Jewish communal organisations, as “omitting commonly found negative perceptions of Jews, while focusing excessively on attitudes and speech relating to Israel”.
It goes on to say that “in matters of teaching and discipline, the University of Edinburgh adopts a pluralistic approach to the definition of antisemitism and other forms of racism and discrimination, guided by scholarship and in comportment with all applicable laws and regulations.”
It therefore seeks to suggest that “that the executive rescind its 2020 decision to adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism so that the university is not constrained in its consideration and response to antisemitism by a single definition.”
In response, the Jewish Council of Scotland said: “IHRA recognises that legitimate criticism of Israel is not antisemitic. Academic freedom and protection from antisemitism must go hand in hand.
“The university should retain this clear framework and ensure complaints are investigated promptly and consistently.”
The Times cited Professor Sam Spiegel, chairman of global studies and international development at the university and a member of the steering committee of the university’s Jewish staff network, supporting the change.
“The motion is designed to help the community to appreciate the range of Jewish perspectives and beliefs, and to be consistent with the key principle that a university’s role is to promote recognition of diversity, rather than impose one definition to the exclusion of others,” he said.
Last month, Professor Spiegel, alongside another academic who is on the staff network’s steering committee, were among signatories to a public letter addressed to the foreign secretary urging him to implement “comprehensive” sanctions against Israel. As well as rejecting the notion that sanctions against Israel encouraged antisemitism in the UK, they wrote that “for us, the Holocaust impels us, as Jews, to act against racism and genocide. To us, “Never Again” means refusing to be a perpetrator or bystander to oppression, whoever the victim might be”.
Jewish News further understands that more than half of those academics listed as members of the steering group of the university’s Jewish staff network have signed open letters calling for a boycott of Israel.