Jew World Order

Holocaust Education and The IHRA Definition

Last month Texas became the first state to fully utilize the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. That definition infamously includes certain legitimate criticisms of Israel.

The IHRA definition was adopted as part of HB3257, a piece of legislation that established a Holocaust, Genocide and Anti-Semitism Advisory Commission in the state. After signing the bill Governor Greg Abbott declared that the committee would “bolster our efforts to eradicate anti-Semitism in the Lone Star State.”

Every two years the commission will put out a report on antisemitism in Texas and use the IHRA definition as a guide. The text of the bill doesn’t mention Israel specifically but its connection to the legislation isn’t exactly being concealed. Abbott signed the bill alongside members of the Israel National Defense College and it was praised by various pro-Israel organizations. Consulate General of Israel Gilad Katz tweeted, “Thank you Governor. Once again you have shown leadership, understanding and loyalty to your conscience. Israel and the Jewish People see you as a friend, ally and partner.”

This obviously portends trouble. We’ve covered the IHRA definition a lot at Mondoweiss, but it’s worth revisiting a couple of its most controversial components. It asserts that

– “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.”

– “Applying double standards by requiring of it (Israel) a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.”

The bit about self-determination can be stretched in very predictable ways. Anyone who advocates for one democratic state is technically denying Jews this right, so I guess Peter Beinart is anti-Jewish. Ethnic cleansing is the central part of Israel’s establishment, so how does one even talk about the Nakba without being tagged as antisemite? How does one discuss the country’s legacy of settler colonialism without stepping over this line? United States activists consistently bringing up Israel’s international crimes makes perfect sense because their tax dollars are financing those atrocities. However, this logical concern would constitute a “double standard” according to this definition.

One can easily envision a scenario where the Texas group is used as yet another cudgel to suppress Palestine advocacy and crack down on BDS efforts.

While Texas was successful, a similar attempt to utilize the IHRA definition in Arizona recently failed. The state just passed a bill requiring Holocaust education in public schools. A GOP state Senator Paul Boyer tried to tack the IHRA definition onto the definition but the effort was ultimately stifled. Boyer claimed that passing a Holocaust bill without the definition would actually somehow increase antisemitism in the state.

“One need look no further than the unrelenting attempts to turn California’s Ethnic Studies curriculum into a vehicle for antisemitic propaganda. How long will it take for antisemitic predators to show up wishing to invert the memory of the Holocaust with their comparisons of Israel to the Nazis?” wondered Boyer.

Of course that’s not what actually happened in California at all, but let’s leave that aside. Boyer is saying he’d rather students not learn about the Holocaust at all than learn about it without attached pro-Israel talking points. In fact, he backed up his amazing assertion: he was one of only two lawmakers to vote against the bill.

In 2014 Boyer authored a resolution declaring that the West Bank is part of Israel.

Arizona was a close call, but the fight is far from over. Proponents of the IHRA definition say they will introduce separate legislation pushing its statewide adoption.

Louisiana

The Holocaust education as Trojan horse strategy reached its most ridiculous heights in Louisiana this summer. A bill mandating Holocaust study (and backed by the regional Anti-Defamation League) initially had the support of many in the local Jewish community. However, they began peeling off once they realized what was happening: a state Rep named Valarie Hodges had introduced the bill as a means to attack a number of current right-wing obsessions. This from Eleanor Stern’s great piece at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency:

On her professional Facebook page during the bill’s debate period, Hodges shared an image of Hitler with a caption calling him “everything today’s liberal craves.” Another post compared Nazi Germany to critical race theory and the New York Times’ 1619 Project, writing, “World War II was about RACE, yet liberals objected to it being included in my bill … Hitler had been laying the groundwork for at least 15 years before the Holocaust. It began with the organization of college students who would be the ones to help him implement his reign of horror.”

During hearings, Hodges made her arguments while seated beside David Barton, founder of the Texas-based advocacy group Wallbuilders, which aims to promote the idea that the U.S. is an inherently Christian nation founded on biblical principles. The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies Barton as an “extremist” who is “a key bridge between the mainstream political right and radical-right religious ideology.”

No Jewish organization testified on behalf of the bill but a local resident named Dennis Burke. “To put it in Holocaust terms, the communists are now the Nazis and we are the Jews,” he told lawmakers.They are the predators. We are the prey. We need to teach this history to our future citizens so we don’t end up like the Jews.”

The bill died in the state senate but, like the other examples, this story certainly isn’t over.

Odds & Ends

✉️ Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) sent Secretary of state Tony Blinken a letter expressing concern over Israel arresting journalists.

🇮🇱 New York Rep. Gregory Meeks (Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee) delivered a speech at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem this week. “When I look at the most diverse administration in the history of Israel, we are living in historic times…the friendship and bond with Israel is forever,” he declared.

📰 Did the New York Times really interview a bunch of South Vietnamese veterans to caution against pulling out of Afghanistan? Yes!

🇮🇷 Iran might face a fifth wave of COVID infections. Biden acknowledged that U.S. sanctions were limiting the country’s access to medical supplies back when he was just a presidential candidate but we haven’t seen action yet.

🇮🇱 A couple dozen protesters showed up outside Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s (D-CT) office demanding that she support Betty McCollum’s Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act. The protest was organized after one activist sent her office an email asking for her support. “I appreciate hearing from you and agree, we cannot support policies that ignore the rights of the Palestinians,” she wrote back. “I do not believe conditioning our security assistance to our principal allies, like Israel, serves our national security.”

✊ Rest in power Haunani-Kay Trask.

Stay safe out there,

Michael

Source