The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly praised South Carolina’s House of Representatives today for passing a bill (H. 3643) which requires South Carolina’s colleges and universities to use the U.S. State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism in reviewing, investigating, and deciding whether their anti-discrimination policies have been violated.  The State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism appropriately recognizes that anti-Semitism includes demonizing Israel (by, for example, comparing Israelis to Nazis) applying a double standard to Israel, and delegitimizing Israel (denying Israel’s right to exist or denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination). 

Morton A. Klein, the ZOA’s National President, and Susan B. Tuchman, Esq., Director of the ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, commended South Carolina lawmakers for taking an important step toward ensuring that their colleges and universities protect Jewish students from all forms of anti-Semitism, stating, “The ZOA is pleased to see that South Carolina is playing a leading role in fighting campus anti-Semitism, and is doing it in a way that protects free speech rights under the U.S. and South Carolina Constitutions.  We also thank U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Tim Scott (R-SC) for endorsing this bill.  The ZOA joins Senators Graham and Scott in encouraging South Carolina’s General Assembly to pass this legislation quickly.  It will help college and university officials identify, address and eradicate the ugly anti-Semitism that unfortunately is such a serious problem on campuses across our country.”