Congress motions

Motion

Motion title

IHRA definition of anti-Semitism

Session

2020-2021

Meeting link

Annual Congress

Meeting date

29 May 2021

Status

Passed

Motion

13

Motion text

Congress notes:
1. Williamson’s letter threatening universities unless they (a) adopt the “IHRA working definition of antisemitism”, and (b) implement it in staff and student codes of conduct
2. UCU's policy opposition to the definition
3. only some UK HEIs have adopted; of these many have ‘adopted’ but refused to implement
4. the Report of the UCL Working Group on Racism and Prejudice
5. the risk that FE will be next
6. The alternative definition developed by Jewish and Israeli scholars of antisemitism in the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (JDA)
7. Evidence of a chilling effect of the IHRA definition on teaching/supervision, and unfounded IHRA-based accusations and disciplinary action against staff
6. The refusal by Tower Hamlets Council to allow the Big Ride for Palestine to book the use of a park in 2019

Congress believes IHRA definition impedes campaigning against antisemitism.

Congress resolves to:
a. condemn Williamson's intervention as an attack on institutional autonomy, on academic freedom and freedom of expression
b. call on the General Secretary to speak out
c. call on branches to organise against the adoption, and to develop a briefing document for branches, drawing on the UCL Report and BRICUP briefings
d. organise a grassroots campaign on academic freedom and free speech on Israel, with a dedicated web page and resources on the UCU website
e. to dedicate resources to, and support, individual members (and their branches) where the IHRA definition is being used to attack their legitimate free speech on Israel or Palestine
f. resist the creation of a hierarchy of racisms by avoiding definitions of specific forms and, where necessary, instead to press for adoption of the JDA as an alternative or a supplement to the IHRA
g. encourage institutions that want a definition to adopt Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism
h. put pressure on institutions to campaign more actively against antisemitism
i. fully support members attacked or victimised for supporting Palestinian rights or through abuse of IHRA definition
j. support and call for members to participate in the Big Ride for Palestine 2021.

Proposing body

London regional committee

Amended

Yes

Allocated to

Equality committee

Notes