“When they talk about the supposed authority of the IHRA definition, what they mean is Israel and its allies.”
The federal government published “The Canadian Handbook on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism” last fall.
Despite its seemingly mundane title, the handbook’s contents prompted a raft of criticism from pro-Palestine advocates and anti-Zionist Jewish groups.
The handbook, which had been two years in the making, described its purpose as being to help Canadians understand the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, and “to provide guidance on how to apply the definition.”
The handbook stressed that the definition is not legally binding and does not “displace existing legal standards.” Nonetheless, it explicitly aimed to provide “guidance” for law enforcement, the legal system, educational institutions, government programming, workplaces and civil society.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), Canada’s leading pro-Israel lobby group, celebrated the handbook’s publication, stating: “The Canadian IHRA Handbook provides essential insights into the Jewish community, its indigeneity to the land of Israel, and the ways in which antisemitism undermines Jewish lived experiences.”
But many of Israel’s critics strongly disagreed. (more...)
How The Israel Lobby Shaped Canada’s Definition Of Antisemitism
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