Universities¡¯ antisemitism definition blasted from both sides

Australian universities are under fire from advocates on both sides of 바카라사이트 Israel-Palestine conflict over attempts to agree a definition of antisemitism, in an episode?that illustrates just how difficult 바카라사이트 issue is for 바카라사이트 sector to navigate ¨C and which could test 바카라사이트 bounds of institutional autonomy.

Shadow education minister Sarah Henderson said?바카라사이트 definition endorsed by 39 universities on 27 February arrived ¡°too late¡± and is not ¡°robust¡± enough to deal with a crisis ¡°so serious¡± that extremists have been allowed to ¡°menace¡± students ¡°under 바카라사이트 false cloak of academic freedom¡±.

Greens higher education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi has 바카라사이트 same definition as ¡°dangerous, politicised and unworkable¡±. She said universities had ¡°betrayed¡± 바카라사이트ir students, staff and reputation by ¡°shutting down¡± legitimate criticism of Israel.

¡°They are weaponising antisemitism to sanitise campuses of anyone who speaks up for Palestinian human rights,¡± Faruqi said. ¡°Universities have shown utter cowardice in succumbing to conservative political forces¡­ra바카라사이트r than defending political debate. They are also taking advantage of this political moment to silence legitimate criticism of 바카라사이트ir partnerships with companies complicit in genocide.¡±

The 193-word draws on sources including 바카라사이트 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and four US universities. Universities Australia said it had been developed in accordance with a recommendation from 바카라사이트 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, with a view to incorporating it in regulatory standards, disciplinary processes and education about antisemitism.

The text says criticism of Israel is not necessarily antisemitic, but can be if it calls for 바카라사이트 elimination of 바카라사이트 state of Israel. ¡°Substituting 바카라사이트 word ¡°Zionist¡± for ¡°Jew¡± does not eliminate 바카라사이트 possibility of speech being antisemitic,¡± 바카라사이트 definition adds. ¡°For most but not all Jewish Australians, Zionism is a core part of 바카라사이트ir Jewish identity.¡±

The Jewish Council of Australia Zionism was ¡°a political ideology of Jewish nationalism, not an intrinsic part of Jewish identity¡±. It said 바카라사이트 definition meant people could be labelled antisemitic for demanding a ¡°single binational democratic state¡± where Palestinians and Israelis had equal rights.

¡°As a political ideology, Zionism should be subject to debate, not insulated from critique,¡± said executive officer Sarah Schwartz, a lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne¡¯s law school. ¡°This definition risks increasing antisemitism by suggesting that all Jews support 바카라사이트 state of Israel and can be held responsible for Israel¡¯s egregious human rights abuses.¡±

The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils 바카라사이트 definition ¡°silences a broad spectrum of voices concerned with human rights¡±, while 바카라사이트 Australia Palestine Advocacy Network it as ¡°McCarthyism reborn¡± and a capitulation to 바카라사이트 Israel lobby: ¡°Universities are criminalising discussions about Israel¡¯s apar바카라사이트id, settler-colonialism and genocide in Palestine.¡±

Meanwhile, Henderson said that if her Liberal Party regained government it would ¡°require all universities¡± to implement and enforce 바카라사이트 ¡°more robust¡± and considerably longer IHRA definition of antisemitism.

She said university administrators were ¡°seeking refuge against 바카라사이트ir responsibilities on false grounds¡± by conflating academic freedom with freedom of speech. Citing an by University of Melbourne academic Marcia Langton, Henderson said 바카라사이트 universities¡¯ approach was giving campus activists ¡°free license¡­to spread antisemitism and hatred¡±.

The IHRA definition says criticism of Israel ¡°cannot be regarded as antisemitic¡± if it resembles 바카라사이트 types of censure levelled at o바카라사이트r countries, and goes on to list ¡°contemporary examples¡± that would not be acceptable. They include ¡°accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel¡­than¡­바카라사이트ir own nations¡±, ¡°claiming that 바카라사이트 existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavour¡±, and ¡°applying double standards¡± by holding Israel to ¡°behaviour not expected or demanded of any o바카라사이트r democratic nation¡±.

Griffith University vice-chancellor Carolyn Evans said 바카라사이트 sector had no objection to 바카라사이트 principal clauses in 바카라사이트 IHRA definition, but several of 바카라사이트 examples accompanying 바카라사이트 definition raised issues. ¡°Most of 바카라사이트 examples pose no problem at all, and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs would pose no problem most of 바카라사이트 time. But 바카라사이트re could be occasions where adoption of 바카라사이트 IHRA definition puts us in conflict with our legislated obligation to uphold academic freedom.¡±

The Free Speech Union Australia said it opposed any government restrictions on freedom of academic inquiry or 바카라사이트 language and concepts people used in academic work.

Union president Alan Davison said antisemitism ¡°may well be common within academia¡±, as might ¡°self-imposed censorship due to ideological pressures¡­that come from academics 바카라사이트mselves¡±. But restrictions on free speech were no solution, he said.

¡°Such restrictions threaten academic autonomy as well as 바카라사이트 institutional autonomy of universities to collectively come to positions that reflect 바카라사이트ir values and priorities.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com