North Carolina Moves To Codify Antisemitism Definition

June 27, 2024 News, Politics

North Carolina Newsline reports:

North Carolina Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved an amended version of House Bill 942, also known as the “Shalom Act,” that would establish a definition of anti-Semitism in state law.

If the bill becomes law, North Carolina would, by reference, make the “Working Definition of Antisemitism Adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) on May 26, 2016” the state’s official definition of anti-Semitism. Under the definition, several types of criticism directed against Israel, such as “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,” would meet the definition.

House Speaker Tim Moore, one of the bill’s chief sponsors, said at a committee meeting that the measure is a response to a rise in hate speech and attacks on Jewish people.

Courthouse News reports:



The measure faced opposition from the North Carolina American Civil Liberties Union, who said that — despite the bill not criminalizing antisemitic speech — it would still silence political speech, particularly concerning the Israel-Hamas war.

“A definition of antisemitism that conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism enshrined into law chills constitutionally protected political speech,” said Reighlah Collins, policy counsel for the North Carolina ACLU.

“This bill would sweep up not just hate speech, but also core political speech: criticism of another government. Seven of the 11 examples relate specifically to Israel, including things like claiming the existence of Israel is a racist endeavor. This is political speech.”

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