Sir Peter Mathieson, principal of Edinburgh University, recently addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. In his remarks, he acknowledged that while some Jewish individuals support the definition, there are also those who contest it. Notably, a significant number of Jewish staff members at Edinburgh University and other institutions across Scotland are part of the Scottish Universities Jewish Staff Network, which firmly opposes the IHRA definition.
The Network argues that the definition creates a barrier for expressing criticism of Israel’s actions regarding Palestine by equating such criticism with antisemitism. They express their stance with the statement, “We oppose the genocide committed by Israel against Palestine and wish to do so without – as the IHRA would imply – being labelled antisemites. Not in our name.”
The remarks come amid a broader conversation about the implications of the IHRA definition within the academic community.
