On January 18, the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) joined more than 40 organizations in expressing strong opposition to ABA resolution 514 and its call to employ the discredited and malicious International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
The letter, co-written by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans for Peace Now, Center for Constitutional Rights, Foundation for Middle East Peace, and Palestine Legal, notes that “the clear objective behind the promotion of the IHRA definition is the suppression of non-violent protest, activism, and criticism of Israel and/or Zionism – a fact that is so well-documented as to be beyond reasonable dispute.”
On January 30, NLG issued a supplemental letter to the Co-Sponsors of resolution 514, elaborating that the resolution “could have drastic consequences on the legal profession, in that it would greatly affect education at law firms, legal organizations and law schools across the country, chilling anti-racist speech.”
The letter reiterates the importance of fighting antisemitism, but points out that the proposed resolution “would provide no new protections for Jewish people who are subjected to hatred or discrimination.” NLG further urges advocates to consider “the true source of the current resurgence of hateful and often violent antisemitism: white supremacist groups,” and to act in solidarity with Palestinian as well as Jewish liberation. ABA resolution 514 achieves neither goal.
Read the full supplemental letter below. NLG urges all members and allies to share this letter with ABA delegates and members to tell them to vote NO on resolution 514.
This letter was written by the NLG Palestine Subcommittee of the International Committee.
More resources on resolution 514 and the IHRA definition of antisemitism:
- Palestine Legal statement and supplemental letter with the Center for Constitutional Rights
- Palestine Legal webpage on the distorted definition of antisemitism
- Palestine Legal and Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) “2-pager” on the consequences of the IHRA definition of antisemitism
