Canada’s Dual Role: Combating Antisemitism While Funding NGOs With Anti-IHRA Agenda

Among the countries implicated in this contradictory approach are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. These governments have, on one hand, recognized the importance of the IHRA definition in combating antisemitism, yet on the other hand, they’ve financially supported NGOs that appear to contradict or undermine this very definition. This raises questions about the alignment of policy, ideology, and funding, as well as the motivations behind such financial support.

According to the findings presented by NGO Monitor, out of the 345 NGOs examined, a staggering 52% of the 45 campaigns aimed at challenging the IHRA definition have received funding from government sources. This underscores the intricate relationship between these NGOs and the state entities that sustain them. Notably, only 39% of the studied anti-IHRA campaigns were focused on influencing public opinion, while a smaller 9% targeted professional organizations. This highlights the multifaceted approach these NGOs take in their efforts to counter the IHRA definition, ranging from influencing public discourse to targeting institutions directly associated with the definition’s adoption and implementation.