Nearly 700 Jewish professors call on Biden not to sign controversial antisemitism legislation

A group of nearly 700 Jewish college faculty signed a letter to President Biden on Wednesday encouraging him not to back the controversial Antisemitism Awareness Act. 

The academics took issue with the act’s use of the International Holocaust Awareness Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which has raised concerns that legitimate criticisms of the state of Israel could be seen as antisemitic under the bill.

The bill easily passed the House last week, though 21 Republicans and 70 Democrats voted against it, with many voicing the same concerns as the faculty.

“Criticism of the state of Israel, the Israeli government, policies of the Israeli government, or Zionist ideology is not — in and of itself — antisemitic,” the letter to Biden and Senate leaders reads.