Mark Ruffalo backs absurd claim that International Definition of Antisemitism is “propaganda”

The actor Mark Ruffalo retweeted an article claiming that the International Definition of Antisemitism is “propaganda” that is used to censor anyone “that is critical of Israel.”

This is an example of the Livingstone Formulation. The “Livingstone Formulation”, named by sociologist David Hirsch after the controversial former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is used to describe how allegations of antisemitism are dismissed as malevolent and baseless attempts to silence criticism of Israel. In its report on antisemitism in the Labour Party, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that suggestions of this nature were part of the unlawful victimisation of Jewish people in the Party.

Despite these claims, the Definition in fact explicitly states that, “criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic”, and only “applying double standards by requiring of Israel a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation” would be deemed as such.

In 2021, Mr Ruffalo apologised for comments that he made about the Jewish state, admitting that they were “inflammatory, disrespectful & is being used to justify antisemitism here and abroad.”

In 2019, Mr Ruffalo endorsed a letter describing the antisemitic former leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, as “a life-long committed anti-racist” who “is being smeared as an antisemite by people who should know better.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism reports on news and incidents relating to antisemitism throughout the United States.