There are disturbing signs round the world that age-old prejudices against Jews are reviving once more. We need to be clear in recognising them, and resolute in dealing with them. A precondition for fighting antisemitism effectively is clarity about what it is, and what it is not. Antisemitism is discrimination, prejudice or hostility against us because we are Jews. It is a form of racism. It may be manifested in violence, denial of rights, discriminatory acts, prejudice-based behaviour, verbal or written statements, negative stereotypes or scapegoating. Holocaust denial, the blood libel, conspiracy theories about supposed Jewish power or the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide – all are expressions of antisemitism.
Criticism of Israel is not antisemitic unless motivated by anti-Jewish prejudice. Examples of this can include: holding all Jews accountable for the actions of the state of Israel; engaging in conspiracy theories about the state of Israel that draw on antisemitic stereotypes about supposed Jewish power; accusing all Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel than to the interests of their own nations. Criticism of Israel, of its displacement of Palestinians and of its denial of their rights, is not antisemitic. Criticising laws and policies of the state of Israel as racist and as falling under the definition of apartheid is not antisemitic. Calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel to oppose those policies is not antisemitic.
We call upon all public bodies and other organisations to apply these principles in addressing antisemitism within their own organisations and when challenging it within wider society.
Geoffrey Bindman Ben Birnberg DBA Epstein Stephan Feuchtwang Harvey Goldstein Brian Klug Peter Kosminsky Mike Leigh Malcolm Levitt Moshe Machover Miriam Margolyes David Mond Susie Orbach Laurance Pearl Jacqueline Rose Steven Rose Michael Rosen Douglas Ross Donald Sassoon Alexei Sayle Justin Schlosberg Lynne Segal Avi Shlaim Gillian Slovo Annabelle Sreberny John S Yudkin Nira Yuval-Davis
© 2018 | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/15/we-must-define-antisemitism-to-fight-it-effectively