The University of Cambridge adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism on November 4.
According to the Cambridge’s website, the university’s General Board decided to adopt the definition during a board meeting. The website provided the full IHRA definition, which includes accusing Jews of having dual loyalty to Israel and “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination.”
Additionally, the university acknowledged the importance of freedom of speech, noting that criticism of Israel isn’t anti-Semitic unless there is “additional evidence to suggest anti-Semitic intent.”
Jewish groups praised the university for adopting the IHRA definition.
“We trust that this announcement endows colleges, faculties and departments with the clarity and confidence to take robust action to safeguard Jewish students and we will seek further details on how this decision will be implemented,” Joel Rosen, external affairs officer for the Cambridge University Jewish Society, said in a statement. “No Jewish student or member of staff should face the degrading indignity of antisemitism be it through coded tropes or explicit abuse.”
The American Jewish Committee tweeted “bravo” at the university, stating: “Utilizing this definition is a critical step in combating this age-old hatred on campus and beyond. American campuses should follow Cambridge’s lead.”
Utilizing this definition is a critical step in combating this age-old hatred on campus and beyond.
American campuses should follow Cambridge's lead.https://t.co/3VhuDqRoYl
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) November 9, 2020
StandWithUs U.K. similarly tweeted, “This is a critical step in protecting Jewish students on campus and we call on the remaining universities who are yet to adopt the definition to follow suit.”
Great news! @Cambridge_Uni has formally adopted the IHRA definiton of antisemitism. This is a critical step in protecting Jewish students on campus and we call on the remaining universities who are yet to adopt the definition to follow suit. https://t.co/x52TitMZJf
— StandWithUsUK (@StandWithUsUK) November 9, 2020
In October, British Universities Minister Michelle Donelan warned that the government will take action against universities that don’t adopt the IHRA definition after a September 30 Union for Jewish Students survey found that only 20% of British universities have adopted IHRA. Eighty percent of the British universities that haven’t adopted IHRA said that they don’t plan to adopt the definition.