Harvard adopts controversial IHRA antisemitism definition

Harvard University has agreed to adopt the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism after reaching a settlement with Jewish students. These students had previously accused other students of harassing them during pro-Palestinian protests on campus in 2024. The lawsuit stemmed from a complaint filed in January 2024 by the student group “Students Against Antisemitism” in a Boston court, arguing that Harvard failed to protect them under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This act prohibits any school receiving federal funding from discriminating against anyone based on race, color, or national origin.

The complaint stated that other students made antisemitic remarks during pro-Palestinian protests last year against Israel’s war in Gaza. Middle East Eye had previously reported on accusations of antisemitism against pro-Palestinian protesters at US universities, often conflating support for Palestinian rights with antisemitism. As part of the settlement between Harvard and “Students Against Antisemitism,” the university agreed to use the IHRA definition of antisemitism when enforcing its anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies.

“This resolution includes specific, meaningful actions to combat antisemitism, hate, and bias on college campuses, demonstrating the University’s firm commitment to further protecting its Jewish and Israeli communities,” said Marc Kasowitz of Kasowitz Benson Torres, LLP, the law firm representing “Students Against Antisemitism,” in a statement. The controversial IHRA definition was drafted by antisemitism expert Kenneth Stern in 2004 and published in 2005 in collaboration with other scholars at the American Jewish Committee, a pro-Israel advocacy organization founded in the early 20th century and headquartered in New York.

Critics argue that some of the examples provided in the definition conflate antisemitism with criticism of historical policies that led to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, which Palestinians refer to as the “Nakba” (Catastrophe). During the “Nakba,” hundreds of thousands of indigenous Palestinians were expelled from their homes by Zionist paramilitary organizations. Critics also say that the definition conflates antisemitism with criticism of Israel’s current policies towards Palestinians, such as human rights abuses and Israel's occupation.

The IHRA definition was adopted by the first Trump administration in 2019 and reaffirmed by the Biden administration. Harvard has also stated that it will provide “combating antisemitism” training and that its Office of Community Conduct will use the IHRA definition when reviewing discrimination complaints. Harvard’s move comes after similar measures were taken by other top universities in the US to prevent any criticism of Zionism. In August 2024, New York University declared Zionists to be a “protected group.”

Following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza, thousands of university students across the US began organizing protests against the war. Many of these protests evolved into calls for their institutions to divest from companies profiting from the war in Israel. The war has resulted in the deaths of over 46,000 Palestinians. In many cases, the protests have been met with harsh responses from university administrations, and in some cases, police were called in to forcibly disperse protesters. Over the past academic year, schools have taken more forceful measures to curb any protests against Israel, including issuing new speech guidelines and employing surveillance tactics against student organizers.