Paul Murphy Critiques IHRA Definition on Anti-Semitism
Paul Murphy criticised the Programme for Government commitment to give effect to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism, arguing its examples conflate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism and are being used to silence critics. He noted the endorsement was announced on 16 January before the Programme had been ratified by Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael and said many human rights organisations and academics oppose states signing the definition.
The speech highlighted the Programme for Government text on page 99, which pledges to give effect to the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism. Murphy questioned how that commitment was adopted and pointed to the timing of the endorsement announced on 16 January by the then-Tánaiste, now the Taoiseach, and the then Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Murphy cited criticism from a wide range of human rights organisations and academics, including the author of the definition, noting many are warning states not to sign up to the IHRA working definition. He said Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, among others, have been critical of the definition and its use by states.
Murphy argued that seven of the eleven examples that accompany the IHRA definition focus on criticising the State of Israel and that those examples have been used to silence people who criticise Israeli policy. He emphasised that, while combating anti-Semitism is necessary, the accompanying examples raise specific problems when applied to political speech about Israel.
As illustrations, Murphy quoted examples from the IHRA text such as the claim that denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination - for example by asserting the existence of the State of Israel is a racist endeavour - can be labelled anti-Semitic. He referenced historical material cited in his remarks, including Theodore Herzl's framing of a Jewish state, a 1937 letter by Israel's first prime minister about expelling Arabs, the treatment of Palestinians expelled during the Nakba as absentees, and the allocation of absentee property to the Jewish National Fund for Jewish lease only. He also drew a parallel between Israel's nation-state law first clause and elements of the Nuremberg laws.
Murphy pointed to a recent controversy in which the President was accused of anti-Semitism after referencing the genocide in Gaza during a Holocaust memorial speech, using it to underline how sensitive and contested public references to Israel and Palestine have become in light of the IHRA examples.
Programme for Government reference
The speech highlighted the Programme for Government text on page 99, which pledges to give effect to the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism. Murphy questioned how that commitment was adopted and pointed to the timing of the endorsement announced on 16 January by the then-Tánaiste, now the Taoiseach, and the then Minister for Foreign Affairs.
International and academic criticism
Murphy cited criticism from a wide range of human rights organisations and academics, including the author of the definition, noting many are warning states not to sign up to the IHRA working definition. He said Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, among others, have been critical of the definition and its use by states.
Specific concerns about the IHRA examples
Murphy argued that seven of the eleven examples that accompany the IHRA definition focus on criticising the State of Israel and that those examples have been used to silence people who criticise Israeli policy. He emphasised that, while combating anti-Semitism is necessary, the accompanying examples raise specific problems when applied to political speech about Israel.
Historical and legal examples cited
As illustrations, Murphy quoted examples from the IHRA text such as the claim that denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination - for example by asserting the existence of the State of Israel is a racist endeavour - can be labelled anti-Semitic. He referenced historical material cited in his remarks, including Theodore Herzl's framing of a Jewish state, a 1937 letter by Israel's first prime minister about expelling Arabs, the treatment of Palestinians expelled during the Nakba as absentees, and the allocation of absentee property to the Jewish National Fund for Jewish lease only. He also drew a parallel between Israel's nation-state law first clause and elements of the Nuremberg laws.
Controversy over Holocaust memorial remarks
Murphy pointed to a recent controversy in which the President was accused of anti-Semitism after referencing the genocide in Gaza during a Holocaust memorial speech, using it to underline how sensitive and contested public references to Israel and Palestine have become in light of the IHRA examples.
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Transcript
Thanks. I want to hone in on one particular aspect of the Programme for Government. It's on page 99. It says, give effect to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of anti-Semitism. Remarkably, this is a programme for government, large parts of which will not be delivered within the five years of the term of this government. But the Programme for Government wasn't even ratified by Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael, never mind the new government being elected by the Dáil, by the time that the then-Taunista, now Taoiseach, and then Minister for Foreign Affairs was out on the 16th of January, announcing Ireland's endorsement of the non-legally binding global guidelines for countering anti-Semitism and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's non-legally binding working definition of anti-Semitism. Where did this come from? Who was pushing for it? In the context that almost every human rights organisation in the world, from Amnesty International to Human Rights Watch, numerous academics, including the person who wrote this definition, are critical of it and are saying that states should not sign up to it. On the face of it, someone listening in would say, what would possibly be the problem with signing up to a definition of anti-Semitism? Of course, we need to combat the ongoing scourge of anti-Semitism, but the problem is, in particular, the examples that go with that definition. Seven of the eleven examples are about criticising the State of Israel. And the way this definition has been used has been to silence those who want to criticise Israeli policies. I'll give you some examples, and you tell me whether I am being anti-Semitic. So, denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination is one of the examples, and it says, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour. The existence of the State of Israel is a racist endeavour. Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, proposed a Jewish state in Palestine as an outpost of civilisation as opposed to barbarism. Israel's first Prime Minister wrote to his son in 1937, saying that Jewish settlers must expel Arabs and take their place. Israel deemed Palestinians, who were expelled during the Nakba, to be absentees without the right of return. Meanwhile, all Jewish people have the right to immigrate to Israel and become citizens. The Palestinian absentee property was allocated to the Jewish National Fund, explicitly reserving its land for Jewish lease only. It also says, drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis is anti-Semitism. The President has been accused of anti-Semitism because he referenced the genocide in Gaza when giving his Holocaust memorial speech. Israel's nation-state law stipulates in its first clause that actualisation of the right to national self-determination is unique to the Jewish people, similar to the first of the Nuremberg laws, deeming citizenship a privilege exclusive to German blood.