A new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) says that antisemitic incidents have surged by 360% in the United States since the October 7 Hamas attack.
The group’s study cites 3,283 antisemitic incidents between October 7, 2023 and January 7, 2024. That’s more incidents than the ADL usually tallies over an entire year.
“Acts of tragedy can tear at our hearts. Scenes of suffering can drive us to great lengths. But frustration and sadness do not justify acts of bigotry and brutality directed against fellow citizens because of their ethnicity, faith or national origin,” tweeted ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “It does not rationalize the irrational or legitimize the act of delegitimizing other people.”
A 360% increase is definitely a shocking statistic, but it doesn’t take a lot of sleuthing to figure out it’s fake.
In a statement to The Forward the ADL admits that it broadened its definition of what constitutes antisemitism for the report. In recent months we’ve seen hundreds of protests across the country to demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. According to the ADL’s methodology, the vast majority of these have been antisemitic.
That’s because the ADL’s antisemitism tally includes rallies where “anti-Zionist chants and slogans” were uttered. The Forward estimates that those make up about 40% of the ADL’s total.
“Overall, a large share of the incidents appear to be expressions of hostility toward Israel, rather than the traditional forms of antisemitism that the organization has focused on in previous years,” concludes the website.
This certainly isn’t the first time that the ADL has sought to blur the line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism but, as the Forward’s Arno Rosenfeld points out, it does mark a shift that has defined Greenblatt’s leadership at the org.
Rosenfeld quotes an interview, with ADL’s Center on Extremism director Aryeh Tuchman, on the idea of anti-Israel sentiments being included in the group’s numbers. “We try really hard to make sure incidents involving Israel either include antisemitic tropes or schemes or specifically target Jewish institutions,” Tuchman said.
“The inclusion of more anti-Zionist incidents in the count aligns with Greenblatt’s positioning in recent years, and especially since the start of the war and the pro-Palestinian protests it spawned in major cities and many college campuses,” writes Rosenfeld. “A former Obama Administration official, Greenblatt has continued the ADL’s longstanding work combating white nationalism, while also increasingly targeting left-wing activists, a shift that has sparked some criticism internally and externally.”
The report was criticized by progressive voices across social media.
“There is no doubt that antisemitism in America has increased since October 7th,” tweeted IfNotNow co-founder Simone Zimmerman. “What is dubious is the reliability of data published by the ADL, who repeatedly makes clear that they care more about criminalizing pro-Palestinian speech and activism than fighting real antisemitism.”
“Madness,” wrote journalist Medhi Hasan (who recently quit MSNBC rather than accept a demotion) No doubt antisemitism has increased since Oct 7 but the ADL’s cynical broadening of the definition to include pro-Palestinian activism isn’t just a smear of the pro-Palestine movement but also, dangerously, undermines the definition, & the struggle against antisemitism.
Even the liberal Zionist group J Street criticized the report. “We must confront antisemitism from all corners and those who use it to further political goals,” the group posted. “But just as it’s wrong to hold all Jews responsible for the actions of Israel’s government, so too is it wrong to count all criticism of Israel/pro-Palestinian protesters as antisemitic.”
“For one thing, many Jewish people have participated in or even led protests that are fiercely critical of the Israeli government and supportive of Palestinian rights,” they continued. “They are clearly not motivated by hatred of the Jewish people.”
Poll: Among Americans familiar with Zionism, more hold a negative view than a positive one
A University of Maryland Critical Issues survey shows that most Americans don’t know what Zionism is, but the majority of those who have hold a negative view.
The survey also found that almost half of Americans aren’t sure whether anti-Israel policy views constitute antisemitism, but most of those with opinions on the issue believe they do not.
57% of Republicans, 64% of Democrats, and 59% of independents were either
unfamiliar with Zionism or lacked knowledge about the nationalist movement. Among respondents who knew what it was, 49% said they didn’t hold a positive or negative view.
However, more respondents held a negative view than a positive one. 31% of Americans familiar with Zionism (including 36% of Democrats and 33% of independents) view it negatively, compared to the 21% who hold a positive view. Just 20% of Democrats of 14% of Independents view Zionism positively. Republicans are the only group that holds a more positive view of Zionism (38%) than a negative one.
Despite Democratic voters’ view of the issue, the party’s elected officials remain broadly supportive of Israel’s colonial ambitions. “I don’t believe you have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist,” declared President Joe Biden during his trip to Israel last fall.
A similar poll carried out last summer found that 49% of respondents who knew what Zionism was said they had neither a positive nor a negative impression of it. They also viewed Zionism more negatively (30%) than positively (21%). 36% of Democrats in that poll said they had a negative impression of Zionism compared to 20% who said it was positive.
“While it is not surprising that a large number of Americans said they were unfamiliar with Zionism and offered no opinion — given that we purposely avoided offering a definition — it is still notable that more Americans held a negative view of Zionism than a positive one, as a plurality held neutral opinions,” wrote Brookings fellow Shibley Telhami at the time. In some ways, this is related to the first finding about Israel’s Jewishness vs. its democracy, as there does not seem to be a strong American public attachment to Zionism, which entails a Jewish character of Israel.
Odds & Ends
???? ‘Don’t believe Haaretz and the NYT. Israeli society fully supports the Gaza genocide’
???? ‘Calling for a ceasefire while still making the bombs: an open letter to the UAW’
???????? ‘The U.S. can’t blindly support Israel and prevent escalation in the region at the same time’
???????? The Electronic Intifada: ‘US ignores silence of Netanyahu on ethnic cleansing’
???? ‘An Open Letter to Rep. Elise Stefanik: Resign Over Your Support for Genocide in Gaza‘
⚖️ Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib released a joint statement amid South Africa’s case against Israel before the International Court of Justice:
“I unequivocally join world leaders and international human rights organizations in support of South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice alleging Israel violated the Genocide Convention. There must be an end to the violence—and there must be accountability for the blatant human rights abuses and mass atrocities occurring in the region. The historical significance of a post-apartheid state filing this case must not be lost, and the moral weight of their prerogative cannot be dismissed. The United States has a devastating role in the ongoing violence in Gaza, where already over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 59,000 injured, and millions have been displaced. We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability. As one of the countries that has agreed to the Genocide Convention, the U.S. must stop trying to discredit and undermine this case and the international legal system it claims to support. Our commitment to protecting the human rights of all people must be unconditional. The best time to make a conclusive determination on genocide is when there is still time to stop it, not after. I will continue pushing for a lasting ceasefire, full accountability, and a just and lasting peace for everyone.”
???????? I interviewed Yasmeen Elagha, a Palestinian-American living in the Chicago area. Elagha has already lost more than 100 relatives in Israel’s ongoing attack on Gaza. Ten of her family members have been approved for evacuation by the State Department, but none of them have shown up on the Exit List. Her family is suing the Biden administration over its lack of action on the issue.
“I feel fully betrayed by the United States,” she told me. “I was born and raised in the U.S., and I have spent my life contributing to my community here in the U.S. and trying to make a future for Palestinian-Americans like myself. I’ve tried to better my community.”
“I voted for the people who are now funding the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and when I have tried to call to their attention the issue of my family, my calls have been totally ignored. These people asked for something of me. They asked for my vote, they asked for my confidence in them. They asked for my trust in them. I gave that, and I’ve gotten nothing in return.”
✌️ Truthout: ‘San Francisco Becomes Largest US City to Back Gaza Ceasefire’
???? ‘Crackdown on Palestine in education goes far beyond universities’
???????? The New Republic: ‘Biden Official Refuses to Answer Whether Israel Cutting Off Water Is a War Crime’
⚖️ The Intercept: ’77 Groups Worldwide back genocide lawsuit against Biden in U.S. court’
✉️ From a new open letter from state and local officials calling on the Biden administration to support a ceasefire: “We cannot bomb our way to peace. We must demand a ceasefire now and then work to build a future without Israeli military occupation and siege. A future in which all Palestinians and Israelis can live in freedom and dignity.”
????️ The Conversation: ‘An overlooked and undercounted group of Arab American and Muslim voters may have outsized impact on 2024 presidential election’
✊ Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Illinois Chicago (along with the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine) will protest First Woman Jill Biden at the school today.
USPCN-Chicago’s Lara Haddadin: “#GenocideJill Biden is in Chicago with Academy Award-winning actor Halle Berry but Biden’s got some nerve to come here to discuss women’s health issues when her husband and his government are complicit in destroying the lives of millions of women and girls in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. She and #GenocideJoe aren’t welcome here, and CJP and the students at UIC are going to make sure she knows it.”
???? The Guardian: ‘Congress backers of Gaza war received most from pro-Israel donors’
???????? The Intercept’s Ryan Grim on Twitter: “Bernie Sanders is invoking section 502b of the Foreign Assistance Act..It will force a Senate vote on Israeli human rights abuses. If it gets a bare majority, the State Dept is required to investigate and report back. After that report, Congress votes on whether to block military aid to Israel.”
???? IfNotNow Press Director Matan Arad-Neeman released a statement on the aforementioned ADL antisemitism report:
“Antisemitism — together with Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism — has undeniably risen since October 7th. Today’s report released by the Anti-Defamation League obscures that reality by conflating pro-Palestinian speech and protests — which constitute at least 40% of the incidents cited in the report — with antisemitic hate crimes. By continuously prioritizing criminalizing pro-Palestinian activism over combating actual antisemitism, the ADL has discredited itself. As Israel continues its violent assault on Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, it is downright dangerous that the ADL continues smearing anti-war protesters, including thousands of progressive Jews, as antisemitic. The ADL is not a serious partner for keeping our communities safe.”
???????? ‘An international law expert explains why South Africa’s case at the ICJ is so important’
???????? ‘Ilhan Omar leads 384 worldwide leaders in call for Gaza ceasefire’
???????? HuffPost: ‘Congress Is Ready To Turn Up The Heat On Biden Over His Israel Policy’
Stay safe out there,
Michael
Re: ADL’s claim of a 360 percent increase in antisemitic incidents. Where is media in analyzing the data and pushing back? Crickets. There is, of course, real antisemitism—hatred toward Jews—and this may be on the increase. Just because the ADL says something doesn’t mean it is accurate. One recall a dew years ago an Israeli-Canadian was caught making hundreds of antisemitic calls to synagogues and Jewish organizations. He was motivated by wanting to increase sympathy for Israel. Advocacy for Palestinian human rights and calling for a ceasefire is not. In fact, it is the complete opposite.
Similarly when WH spokesperson Kirby spews out nonsense that there is no merit to the South African action at the World Court, why aren’t journalists following up with questions that would cite specific allegations from the SA document? I suspect neither the journalists nor Kirby have read the submission.
The more Israel kills, injures, and breaks international laws, the more it will face anger, hatred, and strong criticism around the world….Greenblatt pretends there is no correlation between Israel’s own actions, and the response to it, but there obviously is. This genocide of Gaza will have dire consequences for this apartheid nation, because any way you look at this situation, it all stems down to what the apartheid nation is doing, and the illegal occupation it started nearly 70 years ago, although to the pro genocide people, it all started in October last year.