The beginning of the end of the IHRA definition of antisemitism

Zohran revokes one of the most important tools of the Zionist establishment while the UK uses it to repress the solidarity movement

2 January 2026

Happy new year, everyone, even if parroting these words while reading about Israel's ongoing genocide of the Palestinians while terrible winter storms accentuate their suffering feels hollow.

To cheer us up and give us hope, Zohran Mamdani has immediately introduced a tranche of measures that demonstrate he will carry his lifelong commitment to Palestinian justice into his new job as major of New York City, the city with the largest Jewish population on the planet after Tel Aviv, a remarkably high number of whom support him. No wonder Zionists are even more freaked than usual.



On day one Zohran revoked the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, going against the grain of western liberal democracies that are neither liberal nor democratic thanks in no small part to their neck-deep complicity with Israel’s genocide. A naked tool of the Zionist establishment, the IHRA definition of antisemitism includes denying Jews the “right to self-determination” (meaning Israel’s right to exist, thereby cancelling support for a single secular democratic state, an entirely legitimate and just project); comparing Zionism to Nazism (although the comparison has never been more obvious); and claiming that Israel is a racist state (even though it’s definitionally an apartheid, racist state that is perpetrating a genocide). 



Zohran also revoked the order that barred the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement in NYC. BDS provides us with one of the main ways to apply pressure on Israel and corporations/institutions that are complicit, especially during an era when western governments have stood so resolutely behind Israel—although Spain and Ireland are becoming increasingly forthright in their opposition, with Belgium stepping up by backing South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and Iceland, the Netherlands and Slovenia joining the boycott of Eurovision (really a Ziovision).



Interestingly Zohran didn’t axe the Office to Combat Antisemitism, established by the outgoing mayor and hardcore Zionist Eric Adams in May. We can trust that Zohran will ensure the office will be required to combat actual antisemitism and not criticism of Israel, criticism of Zionism and support for Palestinian justice. The significance of these moves is massive and shows what can be done when politicians and senior officials stick to their principles when they enter office.

Back in September 2018 I went out for lunch with Richard Hermer, then a human rights lawyer, now attorney general to the UK government. (We go back, or we used to.) When Jeremy Corbyn inevitably came up in the conversation Richard wasn’t exactly pro but he also accepted that Jeremy wasn’t an antisemite, even though the entirety of the UK establishment was continuing to destabilise Jeremy with this mendacious line of attack. Keir Starmer would go on to base his leadership campaign on the false promise that Labour needed to be cleansed of antisemitism after Jeremy’s tenure.

This led me to ask Richard what he thought of the IHRA definition. He noted that the document is an absolute farce. He said that even pro-Zionist Jewish lawyers who you’d expect to be supportive believed it was completely unworkable. It amounted to an obvious threat to free speech and legitimate attempts to seek justice for the Palestinians. I’ll never forget how clear Richard was about this back then.

Yet here Richard is today, the most senior lawyer in the UK, providing Keir Starmer’s government with the legal advice that’s led it to continue to supply Israel’s genocidal regime with weapons, provide Israel with 50% of the spying missions conducted over Gaza since 7/10, and weaponise antisemitism in a way we’ve never witnessed before, from the characterisation of the solidarity demonstrations as “hate marches” to the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation to the threat to ban pro-Palestinian chants—precisely the kind of repression intended by the IHRA.

What’s more, Richard is working for a prime minister, Keir Starmer, who couldn’t bring himself to congratulate Zohran on his election victory back in November! It was clear why. Zohran, unlike Starmer, is a democratic socialist who wants to create greater equality rather than prop up the corporate-Zionist control status quote. Zohran, unlike Starmer, is committed to justice for the Palestinians and has steadfastly held on to his principles in the face of concerted opposition.

Now Zohran is mayor, he has ended NYC’s bind to the treacherous IHRA definition, change is happening, and Keir Starmer along with 180-degree Richard Hermer are on the wrong side of history. Two human rights lawyers who have betrayed their profession, they have the blood of a genocide on their hands and without a shadow of doubt deserve to be charged as war criminals.

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