Preacher launches legal challenge against UK government over IHRA antisemitism definition

Preacher launches legal challenge against UK government over IHRA antisemitism definition An elderly Methodist preacher is set to launch the first legal challenge to the UK government's use of a contested definition of antisemitism after ministers used it to force a charity to remove her as a trustee over a Facebook post in which she described Israel as an apartheid state. Bea Foster, a 76-year-old community worker from Burnley, Lancashire, will argue that the government unlawfully penalised her for expressing political views on Israel and Palestine, breaching her rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and protection from discrimination. Speaking exclusively to Middle East Eye, Foster said her motivation to pursue the case stemmed from the misuse of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism by public and private institutions to shut down criticism of Israeli government policies. "The IHRA definition is proved to be used to undermine our ability to hold Israel accountable for its actions against the Palestinian people," Foster told MEE. "Criticising the Israeli government is not saying you are antisemitic." Founded in 2016, the IHRA definition of antisemitism includes a set of illustrative examples that help identify how antisemitism can manifest in practice. Governments and public bodies around the world, including the UK Government, have adopted or endorsed the definition as a practical tool for recognising and addressing antisemitism. Critics of the definition, however, have accused the definition of equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Read more: Preacher launches legal challenge against UK government over IHRA antisemitism definition Methodist preacher Bea Foster helped to found the anti-racism charity she was forced to leave (Supplied)