In recent week the word “Antisemitism” has been carelessly thrown around by politicians who only care about getting re-elected, and by journalists seeking a viral headline. With lives on the line, it is important, now more than ever, to understand what counts as Antisemitism and what doesn’t. Here are a few facts. 👉There is currently no universally accepted definition of what counts or doesn’t count as Antisemitism. 👉 The most widely accepted definition of Antisemitism comes from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). This has been endorsed by US, UK and EU Parliament, but has received criticism for being vague, broad, and potentially stifling of free speech and legitimate criticism of Israel. 👉 One of the examples of Antisemitism under IHRA is “Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.” The irony here is that Palestinians are being held collectively responsible, and punished for the actions of the Hamas leadership they voted in. 👉 The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA) published their own definition of Antisemitism which aims to provide a more nuanced and balanced definition of antisemitism, that protects both Jews and Palestinians from discrimination and violence. 👉To sum it up, people are scared to speak about or against anything Israeli, for the fear of being tagged Antisemitic, or being cancelled or being called a Hamas supporter. The reality is, people, the media and governments can criticise or protest against the Israeli government for the death toll in Gaza, without being Antisemitic. #antisemitism #jews #palestinian #israel #gaza #racism #antiracism #ceasefireingaza