To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Pandor, Scott, D Hall, J Taylor, Lawson, Marchington, Cooper and Greaves;
“This Council notes with concern that the Community Security Trust has reported a huge increase in antisemitic hate crime in 2021.
The Council therefore welcomes the UK Government’s announcement on December 11th, 2016, that it will sign up to the internationally recognised International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) guidelines on antisemitism. The Council also notes that the new definition has been adopted by the Government, Labour Party, Scottish and Welsh Assemblies, Greater London Authority and Greater Manchester Combined Authority along with numerous other Councils across the country.
The Council notes the definition reads as follows: -:
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
The guidelines highlight manifestations of antisemitism as including:
“• Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.
• Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government, or other societal institutions.
• Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.
• Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g., gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).
• Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
• Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
• Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour.
• Applying double standards by requiring of it behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
• Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
• Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
• Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.”
This Council believes that everyone is equal irrespective of their race or religion. This means that all forms of hate crime must be condemned.
This Council welcomes the cross-party support within the Council for combating antisemitism in all its manifestations.
This Council therefore resolves to adopt the above definition of antisemitism as set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and pledges to combat this pernicious form of racism.”
Decision:
Item not considered (due to time constraints).