Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley criticized President Biden following a cascade of antisemitic activity on college campuses and laid out a strategy to fight back.
The 2024 hopeful vowed to hit colleges and universities at the pocketbook level if they fail to fight antisemitism and accused the Biden administration of lacking clarity that anti-Zionism is antisemitism.
“You can’t fight antisemitism if you can’t define it. Joe Biden and the Left refuse to call anti-Zionism antisemitism,” Haley told The Post.
“As president, I will change the official federal definition of antisemitism to include denying Israel’s right to exist, and I will pull schools’ tax exemption status if they do not combat antisemitism in all of its forms – in accordance with federal law.”
Haley, who served as US ambassador to the UN from 2017 to 2018, argued that, unlike Biden, she will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism which includes “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination.”
She blasted the Biden administration for not using that definition in its plan to fight back against antisemitism.
“There are several definitions of antisemitism, which serve as valuable tools to raise awareness and increase understanding of antisemitism. The most prominent is the non-legally binding
‘working definition’ of antisemitism adopted in 2016 by [IHRA],” the Biden administration’s national plan to counter antisemitism stated.
The Biden administration took flack from some Jewish groups earlier this year for not using the IHRA definition that Haley vows to utilize.
“Joe Biden is pandering to the radical Left and siding with Israel’s enemies. It’s shameful. Antisemitism is not hard to define if you’re serious about stopping it,” she added.
“The Oct. 7 massacre and the ensuing weeks have proven what many of us have long known: There is no difference between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. In order to combat antisemitism, we have to define it, and that starts at the top.”
For months, Biden declined to give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an invite to the White House after the latter roared back to power late last year amid concerns about his judicial reform push.
But since Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Biden has publicly affirmed his support for Israel, condemned Hamas, visited the Jewish State, and sought to push Congress to marshal about $14 billion worth of aid to the war-torn nation.
“I don’t believe you have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist,” Biden quipped during his visit to Israel last week.
Since the war erupted, college campuses have been plagued with antisemitic-laced protests and incidents.
For example, on Tuesday evening demonstrators projected the words “Glory to Our Martyrs” and “River to the Sea” on George Washington University buildings. The institution denounced the antisemitic incident.
“College campuses are allowed to have free speech, but they are not free to spread hate that supports terrorism. Federal law requires schools to combat antisemitism,” Haley continued.
“We will give this law teeth and we will enforce it. The United States of America will not use taxpayer dollars to fund antisemitism. Period.”
Biden has publicly condemned antisemitism and second husband Craig Emhoff has spearheaded efforts to combat such vile prejudice against Jews.
“We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism. We must also without equivocation denounce Islamophobia. And to all of you hurting, I want you to know that I see you. You belong. And I want to say this to you you’re all America. You’re all America,” Biden declared in his national address last week.
Haley also underscored her past work to combat anti-Zionism throughout her time in politics. As governor of South Carolina, she signed legislation to fight the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest, And Sanction movement.
As UN ambassador, she also fought against the publication of a “blacklist” of international companies that do work on Israeli settlements. She frequently defended Israel during her time in the UN.
Other 2024 Republican hopefuls have similarly floated ideas on how to snuff out antisemitism in the US.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), for instance, suggested revoking visas for foreign nationals who back Hamas.
The Post contacted the Biden campaign for comment.
