The city of Paris adopted the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism during a session of the Council of Paris on Thursday, joining a growing number of cities around the world, including London and more recently the French city of Nice, to make the move.
The IHRA definition is an internationally agreed classification of antisemitism, which also provides contemporary examples of how antisemitism too often plays out in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere.
The decision was taken by the Council of Paris, headed by Paris' Mayor Anne Hidalgo, which consists of 163 councillors and that is responsible for governing the French capital.
"The ability to criticize Israel's policies on many subjects is something that comes under political opinion, and the exercise of political opinion. Criticizing Israel in its essence and existence falls under the definition of antisemitism, it is a new form of antisemitism," Hidalgo said during the vote in the Assembly.
We are the city in which the Vel d'Hiv roundup took place, we are the city in which a European Jewish community has settled down and made this city its city and the Republic its Republic, and this history commits us, "she continued.
The Israeli Embassy in Paris welcomed the adoption of the IHRA definition on Twitter.
Nous saluons le 🗳 du Conseil de Paris à l'initiative du @GpeChangerParis adoptant la définition de @TheIHRA qui établit le lien entre la haine d'🇮🇱 & l'antisémitisme. Merci @Anne_Hidalgo & aux groupes qui ont soutenu ce vote essentiel pour le combat contre la haine et le boycott pic.twitter.com/PyKKOTaWiB
— Ambassade d'Israël en France (@IsraelenFrance) February 4, 2021
Audrey Pulvar, Paris' deputy mayor tweeted after the adoption that "Antisemitism is not an option, but a crime," adding that the vote of the Municipality of Paris during Thursday's Council was intended to recall this and to reiterate [the] condemnation of any antisemitic words or acts, including when they disguise themselves under anti-Zionism.