The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned Columbia University’s decision to adopt the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, calling it "an attack on free speech".
In a statement issued on Wednesday, CAIR's New York chapter urged the university to reverse its decision, warning that the definition has been widely criticised for silencing criticism of Israel and stifling support for Palestinian rights.
"Columbia's adoption of the IHRA definition, which one of its own authors has said should not be used in official capacities on campuses, is an attack on free speech," said Afaf Nasher, CAIR-NY's executive director.
"This decision is nothing more than the shameless weaponisation of antisemitism in order to stifle the ability of students to speak out against the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli government."
Columbia President Claire Shipman announced on Tuesday that the university would formally incorporate the IHRA definition into its anti-discrimination policies.
In a statement, she said the move was part of the school’s efforts to "combat antisemitism" and that the university had remained committed to ensuring equal protection for Jewish and Israeli students.
"Formally adding the consideration of the IHRA definition into our existing anti-discrimination policies strengthens our approach to combating antisemitism," she said, adding that the university would also introduce mandatory antisemitism training for students and staff.
The decision comes amid pressure from the Trump administration, which last year threatened to strip accreditation and withhold federal funding from elite universities it accused of tolerating antisemitism. Columbia reportedly lost up to $400 million in federal funds as a result.
Shipman acknowledged that negotiations with the federal government had influenced the university’s actions.
"Our work toward an agreement with the federal government has put a harsh spotlight on many of the difficult issues regarding discrimination and harassment we've seen on our campuses," she said.
The IHRA definition, adopted by 31 countries in 2016, has been criticised for conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel, particularly in the context of growing condemnation of Israel’s war on Gaza.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and other Christian and civil society organisations have also raised concerns about the use of the IHRA definition to curtail advocacy for Palestinian rights.
Palestinian-Syrian student Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested during Trump’s crackdown on campus protests last year, recently announced plans to sue the former administration for $20 million over his detention by immigration authorities. Khalil had been active in pro-Palestine organising at Columbia before his arrest.
CAIR, which has consistently opposed the use of the IHRA definition in law or policy, said Columbia’s move threatens academic freedom and risks punishing students for expressing solidarity with Palestinians.
"The university should be defending the rights of its students, not undermining them at the behest of political pressure," said Nasher.