Czech lawmakers adopt common definition of anti-Semitism

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – The Czech Parliament’s lower house has adopted a resolution that recognizes a common international definition of anti-Semitism.

Although the definition by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is not binding, lower house speaker Radek Vondracek says it could help authorities deal with hate crimes.

The 2016 definition says anti-Semitism is “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.” It includes attacks against Jewish religious and community institutions, Jews and non-Jews and their property that are attacked for anti-Semitic reasons.

The resolution was adopted Friday during a session to remember the victims of the Holocaust ahead of Sunday’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The definition has been adopted by a number of European parliaments and Israel.

Anti-Semitism in the Czech Republic is at a relatively low level.