Deborah Lipstadt, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, spoke about her work at the IAC National Summit in Washington. ''We have seen so much antisemitism over millennia. It's like a virus - it mutates. It comes from the right, it comes from the left, it comes from Christians, it comes from Muslims, it comes from Jews, it comes from atheists. It's bad, from wherever.''
She also delivered some good news. ''We've accomplished something very very important at the State Department. We put together the global guidelines not to stop antisemitism, but to address it. Leaders have to speak out. Use the IHRA definition, fight online antisemitism, and live as Jews, and be proud. We have 42 countries that have signed it.''
Lipstadt clarified that it was not only about Jews, but about Israel. ''They have made it clear that in their minds there is no difference between hatred of Israel and hatred of Jews. There are times where you can be critical of Israel, but when it crosses the line into questioning the right of Israel to exist and when it attacks Jews in the rest of the world, that's antisemitism."
She also addressed the upcoming elections. ''We cannot let Israel become a partisan issue. Israel is something that is in concert with American ideals. We've got to hone that message that when you support Israel, when you fight antisemitism, you're fighting for American ideals George Washington said it over 200 years ago when he wrote to the Jews of Rhode Island 'The Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.'' George Washington would say that antisemitism is against America.''