How
the redefinition of antisemitism has functioned as a tactic to
undermine Palestine solidarity
The
widespread adoption of the IHRA definition of anti-semitism and the
internalisation of its norms has set in motion a simplistic
definitional logic for dealing with social problems that has
impoverished discussions of racism and prejudice more generally,
across Britain and beyond. It has encouraged a focus on words over
substance.
Erasing
Palestine
tells the story of how this has happened, with a focus on internal
politics within Britain over the course of the past several years. In
order to do so, it tells a much longer story, about the history of
antisemitism since the beginning of the twentieth century. This is
also a story about Palestine, a chronicle of the erasure of the
violence against the Palestinian people, and a story about free
speech, and why it matters to Palestinian freedom.