Why I violated the IHRA definition of antisemitism

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Written by Joel Beinin Joel Beinin

Published: 28 April 2025 28 April 2025

This thinly veiled attack on freedom of speech aims to curb any meaningful discussion of the Israel-Palestine conflict

On 17 April, the National Day of Action for Higher Education, dozens of scholars of Jewish studies, Holocaust studies and Middle Eastern studies - myself included - took part in an organised effort to intentionally violate the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s definition of antisemitism. 

Defying the IHRA’s definition was an integral part of this day of resistance to Maga authoritarianism, in solidarity with higher education, which saw hundreds of rallies, teach-ins and webinars across the United States. 

The IHRA definition of antisemitism, which is endorsed by Washington, is a thinly veiled attack on freedom of speech, academic freedom and free inquiry. It prevents scholars from describing and discussing the significance of well-documented historical and contemporary facts. 

The definition attempts to censor discussions of the settler-colonialism, systemic racism, apartheid and now genocide that have informed the history and current policies of the state of Israel. According to the examples cited by the IHRA, stating that Israel is a racist endeavour constitutes antisemitism, even if one doesn’t say anything about Jews as a people or Judaism as a religion. 

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Read more at: https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/why-i-violated-ihra-definition-antisemitism

Haaretz Exposé | Killing of Gaza Aid Workers: IDF Troops Fired Indiscriminately for Over Three Minutes, Some at Point-blank Range

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Written by Yaniv Kubovich | Haaretz Yaniv Kubovich | Haaretz

Published: 24 April 2025 24 April 2025

IDF materials show that soldiers reloaded their magazines multiple times while shooting at 12 aid workers who tried to identify themselves ■ Before the shooting, the force was alerted to increased ambulance traffic in the area ■ The aid vehicles were on a permitted route that didn't require coordination ■ The commander decided on his own to deviate from his assigned mission

The Israeli army unit that killed aid workers in Gaza's Rafah last month had received a report about increased ambulance traffic on the route shortly before the incident. The soldiers fired at the vehicles continuously for three and a half minutes – even from point-blank range – reloading their ammunition multiple times, despite attempts by the aid workers to identify themselves.

Read more on Haaretz (the article is paywalled).

Wyden: No Palestinian, No Problem

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Written by Peter Miller Peter Miller

Published: 21 April 2025 21 April 2025

"The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil." — Hannah Arendt.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden had a chance to demonstrate that he had limits to what Israel could do to Palestinians. Senator Bernie Sanders introduced Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to try and stop the constant flow of weapons that Israel uses to destroy Gaza. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley voted along with 15 Senators to stop arming Israel. Unfortunately, Senator Wyden voted to continue the mass killing and starvation of the Palestinians of Gaza.

I read today that Israel killed another eight Palestinian children, burned to death in their tents in a so-called Gaza "Safe Zone." The survivors smelled the stench of burning human flesh, the flesh of children. This criminality is what Wyden is paying for. 

The life of a Palestinian child is worth nothing to Wyden. Or rather, he is willing to spend and continue to spend billions of dollars to kill her, kill her family, and destroy every aspect of her existence.

The other week, Israeli soldiers executed fifteen medical rescue workers; the rescuer's vehicles were marked with flashing emergency lights. Israeli soldiers systematically killed them, and then Israeli bulldozers came in and buried them, still wearing their medical gloves, some with their hands tied behind their backs. Israel buried them and their vehicles under the sand. 

The life of a Palestinian medical worker means nothing to Wyden. Or rather, he is willing to spend billions of dollars to kill them.

The brutal Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was quoted for saying, "Death solves all problems. No man, no problem."

I fear that Senator Wyden has embraced the same for Palestinians, "No Palestinian, no problem."

Kill children in droves. No child, no problem.

Kill medical workers by the score. No doctor, no problem.

Murder journalists daily. No news, no problem.

Destroy schools and mosques and churches and hospitals. No hospital, no problem.

Deny food and medical aid to hundreds of thousands. No food, no problem.

There is no red line, no stopping Wyden's support for genocide—a brutal rejection of human rights, the sanctity of life, international law, and our values. Wyden and most in Congress, Democrat or Republican, uplift their own version of Stalin's infamous phrase: No Palestinian, no problem.

Peter Miller - April 2025

Benefit Concert for the People of Gaza

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Written by Peter Miller Peter Miller

Published: 19 April 2025 19 April 2025

Friday, May 30, 2025 · 7:30 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM)

First Unitarian Church · 1211 SW Main St, Portland, OR

For more information and tickets, go to https://www.jpao.org/events