Schumer aims to pass bill on antisemitism in light of campus protests
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US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to advance legislation that aims to limit student protests in support of Gaza on the grounds of antisemitism.
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Pro-Palestinian activists protest at Lafayette Park across from the White House to mark the approaching one-year anniversary of the genocide in Gaza, Saturday, October 5, 2024, in Washington (AP)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has committed to advancing legislation aimed at curbing "antisemitism" on college campuses later this year, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The bill pertains to the pro-Palestine protests that erupted earlier in the year in light of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which the US has been fueling by providing unconditional aid to the Israeli occupation.
The bill, known as the Antisemitism Awareness Act, would provide a broad federal definition of antisemitism to aid in enforcing anti-discrimination laws across US institutions.
The updated definition will adopt the definition of antisemitism created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). If eventually enforced, the definition would mark a grave turn of events for American citizens and residents opposing the Israeli occupation. The IHRA has spread dangerous rhetoric in which any action against the Israeli occupation would be considered anti-semitism.
Mounting scrutiny
The IHRA had previously attempted to lobby the British government to adopt the definition at an earlier time when then British Home Secretary and pro-Zionist Suella Braverman was still in office.
However, it is scrutinized how exactly the antisemitism in question could be tackled or how it could be defined, especially as it became evident throughout the protests that any show of solidarity with Palestine or criticism of the Israeli occupation could and would be labeled as antisemitism.
Calling for a ceasefire or underlying Israeli brutality was quick to be labeled as antisemitic, as well as pointing out facts such as the high number of deaths in Gaza, which has surpassed 42,000, and arguing that innocent babies should not be indiscriminately bombed.
In detail, the definition considers any expression of hatred toward Jews, including the "Jewish collectivity" or the "State of Israel", antisemitism.
'Too broad'
Critics were quick to point out that the proposed definition of antisemitism may be too broad and could potentially impact free speech; students could be protesting against the Israeli occupation's crimes before they are met with forceful measures.
The Florence Avenue Initiative, a nonprofit organization, has invested approximately $5 million in a campaign pressuring Schumer to pass the legislation. The group’s ads criticize what they perceive as Schumer's delay, as the most senior Jewish legislator in the United States, despite the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passing the bill earlier this year.
While the Florence Avenue Initiative has been vocal, it is not required to disclose its donors, adding to the debate over the sources of influence pushing the bill forward.
Legislative name-calling
The proposed bill has exposed divisions within the Democratic Party, with some members concerned about the implications of a broadened definition of antisemitism.
Schumer reportedly intends to attach the bill to a must-pass defense bill following the November elections, but sources suggest there is still skepticism about whether the bill will ultimately make it through the Senate.
The bill’s stalling in the Senate has become a focal point in political campaigns. Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick has leveraged the situation to criticize incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, accusing Senate Democrats of inaction in a recent New York Post op-ed, saying it underlines a lack of commitment to combating antisemitism.
