Britain to adopt new anti-Semitism definition to fight hate crime

Britain said on Monday it would become one of the first countries to adopt an international definition of anti-Semitism to clamp down on hate crime.

Adopting the definition formulated in May by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is meant to make it harder for people to get away with discriminatory or prejudiced behaviour due to unclear or differing definitions of what anti-Semitism actually is.

"It means there will be one definition of anti-Semitism - in essence, language or behaviour that displays hatred towards Jews because they are Jews - and anyone guilty of that will be called out on it," Prime Minister Theresa May said in pre-released extracts from a speech she was due to deliver.

Police, councils, universities and public bodies can use the wording, the Prime Minister will say in a speech.

The IHRA definition adopted by the group's 31 member countries, including Britain, reads:

"Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities."

Downing Street said adopting the international definition would ensure people would not be able to get away with being anti-Semitic because the term was ill-defined, or because different organisations or bodies had different interpretations of it.

The IHRA - which is backed by 31 countries, including the UK, USA, Israel, France and Germany - set its working definition of what constituted anti-Semitic abuse in May.

The group says having a "legally binding working definition" will give countries the "political tools" to deal with anti-Jewish hate crime.