Glen Eira to vote on IHRA defintion tonight
Council report came as something of a surprise to members of the community, given that Glen Eira is home to the largest Jewish population in the country
WITH Glen Eira Council due to vote tonight on whether to support the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, in less than three days more than 2000 people have signed a petition urging councillors to back the motion.
In a report issued last Friday, council officers recommended the resolution be rejected, stating, “Council is not required to adopt a single definition of antisemitism in order to continue to undertake its numerous commitments, actions and activities to reject racism in all its forms, celebrate diversity and promote social cohesion.”
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) consulted with the council to advise it on the Jewish community’s views on adopting the definition.
But among those consulted by council officers were also groups who regularly criticise Israel, including the Australian Jewish Democratic Society and the New Israel Fund.
The report came as something of a surprise to members of the community, given that Glen Eira is home to the largest Jewish population in the country, and that the definition has been endorsed by all Jewish community roof bodies, and is supported by the majority of communal organisations.
To date, the definition has been adopted by more than 40 countries, including Australia, and numerous international organisations, academic institutions, local governments and municipal authorities, who regard it as a critical tool in combating the global rise in antisemitism.
The petition in favour of Glen Eira adopting the IHRA definition, was launched by Zionism Victoria, as soon as Shabbat and yom tov went out on Saturday night.
ZV executive director Zeddy Lawrence said, “Given the following day was Sunday and yesterday was a public holiday, the fact that over 2000 people have signed in such a short amount of time shows just how strongly the community feels about this issue.
“There’s only a few more hours until the council vote, so we urge everyone who hasn’t yet signed to do so and to share the petition so it can reach as many people in the community as possible.”
The petition can be signed and shared at change.org/gleneira-ihra.
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