The Democratic Party will likely continue its fraught internal debate over ongoing university protests and the definition of antisemitism itself as America heads toward the fall elections. With Democrats bickering over the issue, Republicans say President Biden seems to be paralyzed by fear of his party’s own left-flank. 

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would require the Department of Education to enforce anti-discrimination punishments for university students, faculty, or staff who engage in antisemitism as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. 

The enforcement of anti-discrimination laws based on the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism has been criticized by those on the left and right as an opportunity to chill freedom of speech. The group states that claiming Israel is a “racist” endeavor is an example of antisemitism. Comparing Israel’s military policies to that of Nazi Germany would also be an example of antisemitism under the alliance’s standards. 

Despite its critics’ best efforts, the House passed the bill by a margin of 320–91. It was a broad, bipartisan coalition voting for the legislation, including Speaker Johnson and his leadership team, and the Democratic leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. 

Mr. Jeffries announced his support for the legislation at a press conference shortly before the vote. “My view of the situation is this: There is a troubling and disturbing rise in antisemitism in the United States of America that existed prior to October 7 and has been exacerbated since October 7. We should be doing everything possible in a serious and sensible way to combat antisemitism.”

Other Democrats were vehemently opposed to the new definition of antisemitism and have praised the work of the protesters at Columbia University. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says there are only “anti-genocide” and “pro-genocide” demonstrators on the greens of America’s campuses. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib says students are demonstrating “bravery and courage” by standing up to their schools’ administrations and police. 

Among Democrats, 68 voted against the measure. On the GOP side, there were fewer dissenting votes. Just 23 Republican members voted against the legislation. 

Congressman Thomas Massie, who typically votes against non-binding resolutions declaring support for Israel and decrying antisemitism, says this bill would criminalize constitutionally protected speech. “Do you agree with all of these examples of antisemitism? Should people in America be prosecuted for saying these things in all contexts? I think not. This is a poorly conceived unconstitutional bill and I will vote no,” he said in a post on X. 

The deep division among Democrats on the issue of defining antisemitism and whether or not the university protests themselves are, in fact, antisemitic could hamper the president’s standing among his own party, and invite fierce criticism from Republicans and pro-Israel voters in the fall.

When the Columbia protests first began, Mr. Biden was asked by a reporter if he condemned the encampment. He responded by saying that violence and vandalism were wrong, but also condemned the critics of the protests “who don’t understand what is going on with the Palestinians.”

After the Columbia protesters stormed and occupied Hamilton Hall — as anti-Vietnam War protesters did in 1968 — the White House issued a more firm statement about antisemitic events on campus. Deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said that the president condemned the term “intifada” and “other tragic and dangerous hate speech displayed in recent days.”

Republicans are more than happy to point out the difficult political position Mr. Biden is in with his own base. Senator Graham said on Wednesday that the president — who he was friends with for many years — does not agree with the protesters or their goals, but fears defying the young, left-wing activists and chasing away potential voters. 

“He’s afraid of the protesters,” Mr. Graham said of the president during an interview on Fox News. “There’s a real Hamas wing of the Democratic Party who wants to not help the Palestinians, but kill all the Jews. They say: ‘We are Hamas.’”

“There are radical elements within the Democratic Party and the country right now at large that would literally help destroy the Jewish state,” the senator said. 

In what will likely be an effort to clarify his position on the protests and the rise of antisemitism, the White House announced on Wednesday that the president would deliver the keynote address at the Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Day of Remembrance on Tuesday.