Not only is the Jonathan Greenblatt era ADL failing to defend Jews, but its pandering to the left has taken it into direct solidarity with anti-Semitic organizations.
The ADL signed on to a Muslim Advocates letter attacking Act for America’s anti-Sharia marches. But Act for America, unlike many of the groups that co-signed the letter, is pro-Israel. Meanwhile the ADL’s co-signers included CAIR, an Islamist organization with a history of supporting Hamas, JVP, an anti-Israel BDS group, T’ruah, a soft BDS anti-Israel group, and NIAC, Iran’s lobby. And a number of other left-wing organizations that back BDS.
Jonathan Greenblatt did his best “I’m shocked there’s gambling going on here” response.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), said on Monday he was “deeply upset” and “troubled” after discovering that a public statement opposing anti-Muslim bigotry which his organization recently endorsed was also signed by a number of radical anti-Israel groups.
“We would not sign onto any letter alongside these organizations intentionally,” Greenblatt told The Algemeiner.
Morton Klein of ZOA takes that lie apart.
A year and a half ago, ZOA criticized the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for signing a joint letter together with virulent anti-Israel and radical Islamist groups… It is hard to believe that ADL chief Jonathan Greenblatt was “duped” into signing 29 joint letters with radical Islamist and anti-Israel groups – when ADL has done this before.A year and a half ago, ZOA criticized the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for signing a joint letter together with virulent anti-Israel and radical Islamist groups… It is hard to believe that ADL chief Jonathan Greenblatt was “duped” into signing 29 joint letters with radical Islamist and anti-Israel groups – when ADL has done this before. ..
Moreover, ADL is still bragging on its website that “ADL joined with over 100 groups” to sign the joint letters. ADL’s website also links to the “Muslim Advocates” website that contains the 29 joint letters. It’s difficult to believe that ADL did not know who co-signed its 29 joint letters, when ADL’s own website provides the links to the site where all 29 letters and their 129 signatories are posted.
The ADL is professional enough that it wouldn’t sign on to a letter without knowing who the other signatories are. And there’s a history here that I’ve pointed out in the past.
In New York City, the ADL convened what it billed as an inaugural summit on anti-Semitism. Its urgent title, and accompanying hashtag, was #NeverisNow. It promised TED Talks and “interactive sessions on the challenges posed by modern-day anti-Semitism.”
Instead it provided a platform for opponents of Israel to spew their hatred at the Jewish State.
The “Is Delegitimization of Israel Anti-Semitism?” panel gave anti-Israel activist Jill Jacobs and the Forward’s Jane Eisner a forum. Jacobs denounced the Israeli “occupation” and argued that Jews had to stop equating attacks on Israel with anti-Semitism. She defended BDS tactics against accusations of anti-Semitism and criticized the Jewish community for backing legislation opposed to BDS.
While leftist anti-Semitism could be given the benefit of the doubt, Jacobs denounced counterterrorism expert Frank Gaffney who has worked to protect Israel and Jews from Muslim terrorists.
The Jane Eisner quote, which the ADL chose to showcase, insisted that, “with the BDS movement, there are some bad actors, but we have to listen hard to people attracted to that ideology and think of ways to engage with them productively.”
The ADL wants to jump on the intersectionality train. But the basic price of that is working with Islamists who support Hamas and assorted leftist anti-Semites. And so the ADL ignores Jewish civil rights and instead functions as a generic social justice lobby. And that’s clearly what Greenblatt wants.
This article was published by Front Page Magazine and may be found here.