Unfit for purpose IHRA ‘definition’ criticised even by its author made central to targeting of human rights and peace activists
Germany’s coalition government has approved the wording of a new resolution that further targets critics of Israel, which will be put to a vote in the Germany parliament tomorrow and is expected to pass.
The new bill puts the ‘IHRA working definition’ of antisemitism at its centre – a definition that doesn’t define that legal experts say enables false accusations of antisemitism and which has been attacked even by its author Kenneth Stern for its chilling effect on legitimate criticism of Israel – and will mean the German state withholding funding from artists, educational institutions and science centres if they participate in boycotts of Israel, which has so far killed around 200,000 people and maimed even more in its genocide in Gaza and is also bombing civilians in their homes and has murdered hundreds of journalists and medics in Lebanon.
German Jewish and civil society groups have made strong criticisms of the resolution, for its conflation of Israel and its crimes with Jewish people, since its first version was leaked into the public domain, but the government has made no substantive changes in the final draft, which requires recipients of state funding to confirm their support for Israel.
Germany has been heavily criticised by human rights groups for its repeated violence toward peaceful anti-genocide protesters. Last year, more than a hundred Israeli and international civic and human rights organisations published a letter calling on the United Nations to reject the so-called ‘IHRA definition’ and ban its imposition. In June, Germany changed its citizenship law to require new citizens to sign a confirmation of their support for Israel.
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Meanwhile, I see maccabi ‘fans’ were attacked by ajax fans in Amsterdam.
According to the beeb: “Before the match, there was trouble between Maccabi fans and pro-Palestinian protesters, with reports of supporters tearing down a Palestinian flag and chanting racist slogans about Arabs”
And
Maccabi supporters attacked taxi and burned Palestine flag, police say
published at 11:46
11:46
Peter Holla tells reporters in Amsterdam Maccabi supporters attacked a taxi and set a Palestinian flag on fire on Wednesday.
BUT, apparently, the mayor of Amsterdam says: Jewish life and culture has been threatened”.
I’m sick to death of this one-way victim SHITE. AFAIC those maccabi ‘fans’ went looking for it, and whinging to anyone who’ll listen because they got it.
Fuck ’em. Shouldn’t even be playing matches in Europe, israel isn’t Europe but the Arabs won’t entertain them – and nor should uefa.
Next up for maccabi tel aviv I the europa league is a trip to besiktas.
Let’s see if the jewish culture (of racist chanting, climbing up buildings to tear down flags, and attacking taxi drivers) prevails in Istanbul.
I very much doubt it, although they’ll be ‘the victims’ yet again if it does.
According to the Dutch PM and others, pro-Palestinians giving Israeli fans a good kicking whilst shouting “Now you know how it feels” is ‘antisemitic’!
(Curious how few attacks “international terrorists” Hamas and Hezbollah have mounted on Zionists and Jews overseas. Especially since Zionist terrorists in the 1940’s DID mount operations abroad, bombing our embassy in Italy and sending letter bombs to Winston Churchill, among others.)
That is more than disgusting. I feel so ashamed and angry!
Top marks to those Dutch fans. I’d be doing the same if those entitled, smug provocateurs tried it on in my home town. Israeli teams shouldn’t be in the competition in the first place. If their fans want to swan around Europe rubbing our noses in their impunity, they deserve everything they get. What IS DEFINITELY anti-semitic is the implication that homicidal land-grabbing is an essential part of being Jewish and should therefore be allowed free rein!
Two prominent people here in the UK have fought back on the conflation of Antisemitism with criticism of the state of Israel and anti Zionism, is instructive here. Having watched those craven University Presidents grovelling in front of clueless Congressional members who called the peaceful student protest movements Anti Semitic hate fests. Shaimire Delalli was sacked by the NUS and so took them to court and won substantial damages when the NUS had to conceded that holding pro Palestinian and anti Zionist views are protected beliefs according to the UK Equalities Act 2010.
David Miler was also dismissed from the University of Bristol in 2021, he also won sustantial damages in a landmark ruling at an Industrial Tribunal also under the Equalities Act 2010.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-judge-rules-professor-was-discriminated-against-anti-zionist-views
Time to fight back against the ignorant and self serving German and US Congressional Zionist mouthpieces whose only function is to serve Zionist donors, vote them all out.