US accepts IHRA's definition of antisemitism, Biden official says
AJC CEO David Harris called McDonald’s remarks “a solid reaffirmation of American leadership in the global fight against antisemitism.”
By OMRI NAHMIASAJC executive director David Harris 370(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
WASHINGTON – The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations and the American Jewish Committee (AJC) welcomed on Tuesday the State Department’s support for the IHRA definition of antisemitism.Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kara McDonald addressed an expert committee meeting on combating antisemitism in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, voicing support for the definition.“We must educate ourselves and our communities to recognize antisemitism in its many forms, so that we can call hate by its proper name and take effective action,” she said. “That is why the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, with its real-world examples, is such an invaluable tool.”“As prior US administrations of both political stripes have done, the Biden administration embraces and champions the working definition,” McDonald continued. “We applaud the growing number of countries and international bodies that apply it, we urge all that haven’t done so to do likewise – and we commend OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights for using it.”The Conference of Presidents issued a statement in support of McDonald’s speech.“We commend the Biden administration’s robust and unqualified endorsement of the IHRA definition, which reflects the broad support that exists for the most authoritative and internationally accepted definition of antisemitism, as well as the widespread view that it is critically important to define antisemitism in order to combat it successfully,” the organization said.“This is especially essential at a time when acts of antisemitism and Jew-hatred are on the rise at home and abroad,” the conference added.“Last week, the member organizations of the Conference of Presidents overwhelmingly adopted the IHRA definition and pledged to encourage others to do so as a key tool to combat antisemitism. We look forward to working with the Biden administration to expand the growing list of countries, governmental bodies, nongovernmental organizations, sports leagues, universities and religious groups around the world that have adopted the definition.”AJC CEO David Harris called McDonald’s remarks “a solid reaffirmation of American leadership in the global fight against antisemitism.“The IHRA working definition is the gold standard,” he added.
