Israel and Hamas friction during Georgia House hearing on anti-Semitism law.

One person was arrested Monday at the Georgia State Capitol after an acrimonious Senate committee hearing into the scandal surrounding a controversial anti-Semitism and Israel bill.

The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill aimed at defining antisemitism in state laws. Bill No. 30, introduced by Republican John Carson from Marietta, is intended to take into account the definition used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and requires that state agencies use this definition as evidence of discriminatory intent in matters such as housing or employment discrimination, as well as in accordance with the hate crimes law enacted in 2020.

The Capitol Police confirmed the arrest of one person after a committee meeting was interrupted by shouting. After the vote, supporters of the bill stood up to applaud, while several opponents approached the lawmakers, shouting "Freedom, freedom for Palestine!" Officers escorted the demonstrators, and the hearing quickly resumed.

Separately, the committee voted 5-3 in favor of advancing Senate Bill No. 359, introduced by Republican John Albers from Roswell, which adds offenses such as littering, illegal sign placement, vandalism, attempts to disrupt funerals, vagrancy, and phone harassment to the state's hate crimes law in an effort to penalize individuals spreading anti-Semitic flyers and engaging in other hate-related activities.

According to Bill No. 30, making anti-Semitic statements is not considered a crime, but such statements can be used as evidence to increase the punishment for related offenses. The controversy lies in the fact that certain criticisms of Israel are recognized as anti-Semitic, such as the claim that it is a racist entity, which some advocates of free speech view as a restriction on freedom of expression.

The Georgia state hate crimes law protects against actions based on religious beliefs, but supporters of the law argue that adopting a specific law defining anti-Semitism would provide greater protection for the Jewish population. Carson has been advocating for the state-level definition of anti-Semitism for several years. Last year's attempts failed in committee due to concerns about freedom of speech. This year, the leadership of both chambers has expressed support for the bill in light of high-profile incidents of anti-Semitism and the distribution of hate flyers that continue to trouble Jews in Georgia, as well as the threat of a large-scale conflict in the region due to violence in Gaza.

The consequences of the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis, have led to an increase in sympathy for the Jewish people, but also to heightened skepticism towards the Israeli government. According to the United Nations, the Israeli armed forces have killed 25,000 people in Gaza since October 7, 70% of whom are women and children.

The bill takes a protective stance on the definition of antisemitism, characterizing the accusation of Jews being collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel as an antisemitic statement.

Rabbi Larry Sernovitz, head of Hillel Georgia, stated that incidents of anti-Semitic attacks have increased, including a random attack on a freshman at the University of Georgia, who was physically and verbally assaulted right after October 7.

Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar from Temple Beth Israel in Macon spoke about the attacks carried out by hate groups, which included bomb threat calls, hanging an effigy at the entrance of the synagogue, and distributing anti-Semitic literature in Jewish neighborhoods.

State Representatives Esther Panitch and John Carson are speaking in the hallway after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed Carson's anti-Semitic bill. The only Jewish member of the Legislature, Panitch, strongly advocated for the bill's approval and expressed gratitude for its progress on Monday. After the committee vote, Carson said he was relieved to see the committee's unanimous vote and hopes that the support of Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and Speaker John Burns will help the bill pass through both chambers. "I am more confident than I was last week," he said with a smile. "I optimistically hope that we will achieve this and ensure the protection of the Jewish community."