HUMAN rights campaign group Liberty has warned against the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of “anti-semitism.”

A resolution passed by members of the group in mid-May says the government-adopted definition blurred “the previously clear understanding of the nature of anti-semitism” and risks “undermining the defences against it.”

It also said IHRA’s definition threatened freedom of expression by “conflating anti-semitism with criticism of Israel and legitimate defence of the rights of Palestinians.”

The motion was moved by member Jonathan Rosenhead, who said that whenever Israel assaults Gaza, as in recent weeks, there is a spike in anti-semitic incidents in Britain.

"This happens because people conflate Israel with Jews. An official definition should not make the same error," he said.

Mr Rosenhead quoted retired Appeal Court judge Stephen Sedley who called the IHRA document “a protean definition of anti-semitism which is open to manipulation and capture.”

The group has urged public bodies not to adopt the definition.