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ADL lists top 10 anti-Israel groups in U.S.
The Anti-Defamation League on Thursday published its list of the 10 most influential and active anti-Israel groups in the United States, a compilation including one organization led by American Jews.
“While there are hundreds of groups that organize and participate in various anti-Israel activities, we have identified the largest and most well-coordinated anti-Israel groups,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director.
“These groups are not promoting peace, they are spreading propaganda to assault Israel’s legitimacy. We want to Americans to know who these groups are and what it is they really stand for, which is to delegitimize the Jewish state,” he said. [...]
“These groups demonize Israel through various public campaigns. Their messages are one-sided and fail to take the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into account,” said Foxman. “They unfairly attack Israel while ignoring Palestinian terrorism and incitement. They apply a different standard to Israel than other countries, condemning it for implementing policies to protect its citizens.”
Now, before I list the the top ten, let’s look at who the ADL had just awarded their annual ADL International Leadership Award to…
Accepting ADL award, Murdoch decries ‘ongoing war against Jews’
Media magnate accuses Leftists of spurring anti-Semitism under the guise of legitimate criticism of Israel.
Media mogul K. Robert Murdoch on Thursday decried the "ongoing war against the Jews" and demanded an end to efforts to isolate Israel.
Accepting an award from the Anti-Defamation League for his support of Israel, Murdoch described the phenomenon of delegitimizing Israel as a "soft war" which he said has now entered a "new phase."
“This is the soft war that seeks to isolate Israel by delegitimizing it," Murdoch told attendees at the New York dinner where he was bestowed the ADL International Leadership Award. "The battle ground is everywhere – the media, multinational organizations, NGOs. In this war, the aim is to make Israel a pariah.”
Can you believe it…? Rupert Murdoch…! *gah*
I find it a highly hypocritical choice, in light of the ADL’s own masthead proclamation: ADL: Fighting Anti-Semitism, Bigotry and Extremism…
But, I digress…
Here’s the Top Ten…
1. Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER)
2. Al-Awda (The Palestine Right to Return Coalition)
3. Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
4. Friends of Sabeel-North America (Voice of Palestinian Christians)
6. International Solidarity Movement
9. Students for Justice in Palestine (wiki link)
10. US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
Congratulations to Us–We Made ADL’s List! Wear those badges of honor with pride, ya’ll…!
Keep up the great work…!
(Cross posted from Whirled Peas)
24 Comments
I’m a longstanding proud member of Jewish Voices for Peace. The
Anti-Defamation League are a bunch of deep funded clowns — hit men for the Israel Lobby, and nothing more.! ! ! ! ! ! !
I consider the ADL a major anti-American group — and I don’t think I am alone in this consideration.
Kudos to you Callup…! ;-)
In my naive youth, I used to admire them for their work, Ellie…! ;-)
Thanks for the list; know I know for certain who to support. I’m surprised the BDS movement wasn’t cited by the anus defecating league.
Most of those ten orgs, if not all, are actively pushing the BDS meme anyways, ubet…! ;-)
Foxman used to think Armenian Holocaust denial was a beautiful thing when Turkey was a close ally of Israel’s. He personally lobbied Congress not to acknowledge it:
Foxman speaking to NYU students:
Like I said, he’s a clown. It’s no wonder he’s honoring Rupert Murdoch as a great man.
HA! The people on the list aren’t upset by being on it at all, they are taking a bow!
Lots of stuff on the web about this. They have lost the plot- Being labeled an anti-semite really does mean someone they hate, not someone who hates semites or jews now.
Salon.com: ADL beclowns itself, again
From the twitter: @avinunu (Ali Abunimah)
Congratulations to all winners of @ADL_National’s Foxman Award for Anti-Apartheid & Palestine Solidarity Work
Naomi Klein is on the BOD of the Jewish Voice for Peace and is giddy.. :)
It’s pretty funny what they wrote about If Americans Knew..
.. we all know that there is not a whiff of truth in this… right? /s
ISM is the organization that launched Free Gaza movement that sends the ships to break the siege, including the Mavi Marmara.
Michelle Goldberg: ADL’s transformation into an Israeli propaganda arm http://bit.ly/9i79Xn
CTUTTLE:
GREAT post! You wrote a VERY GOOD post about a month ago here that had a link in it to a paper by the REIT institute describing how to discredit those who criticize Israeli policy.
It basically said that the act of criticizing Israeli policy is an attempt to “delegitimize the Jewish State” and it claimed this effort was the primary tool of opponents of Israel. It then went on to describe how to “blur the lines” between Peace Activists who support a viable State of Israel and make them look like Hamas supporters instead. The ultimate goal? Make all criticism of Israel equal to Anti-Semitism, and make Anti-Israel statements equivalent to anti-Jewish statements.
It singled out the BDS movement in particlar, but it went on to state things like
In other words, Abe Foxman and his ADL is merely following this playbook of silencing all criticism of Israeli government policy.
This is the wicked brilliance of calling a nation the “Jewish State.” By creating a mentally synonymous affiliation between a Government and a Religion, we can then make the conceptual leap in the public sphere to saying that statements against that government are synonymous with statements against that religion. So, if we could call the American Nation a “Christian” Nation, then it becomes easier for Rupert Murdoch and his motley crew to call all opponents of American war policy as “UnChristian” (which is EXACTLY what they did and are still doing to Obama – calling him “Unchristian” because he opposed the war as a senator… of course, he must “Christian” now in their definition since he has killed more civilians than BUSH in that war).
But my point is that calling a Nation-State a religion is now the conceptual foundation stone by which they will build their case to silence all critics.
Last time I checked, nation-states weren’t really considered to be people. But in light of Citizens United, if a Corporation can have “Free Speech” then a Nation-State can have a religion.
What is next? To be against Israeli government policy is to be classified as a “Hate Crime”? Only in America, where Corporations are People and Jesus is CEO.
Know what’s really funny?
Nowhere do they say, flat-out, anything like “these things are lies and here’s the proof”, followed by conclusive evidence debunking any of the things they want us to think aren’t so.
This is, of course, because they can’t. They don’t dare try to defend their position on a fact-based level, because that would draw too much attention to something they really don’t want given much attention, as any serious examination causes their position to fall apart.
So they try to pretend that all the accusations and criticisms are laughable, not worth examining, and based in anti-Semitism (and that anyone who suggests a serious look at them is anti-Semitic), even when these accusations and criticisms are coming from Jews.
Tomorrow on 60 Minutes: This coming Sunday, “60 Minutes” will go to Silwan, the neighborhood just outside the walls of the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem that Jews are colonizing. The trailer suggests that she will put some emphasis on the biblical stories that rightwingers tell themselves to justify the landgrab. link
I’m guessing Leslie Stahl will now get added to ‘the list’.
Being Jewish myself (not according to most of the Orthodox rabbis in Israel), I don’t really think I like the idea of the government of Netanyahu and Avidgod Lieberman being able to masquerade as the keepers and protectors of Judaism’s sacred traditions.
I feel like I can empathize with the Muslims who chafe under the corrupt Saudi regime’s claims to be the protectes of Islamic holy sites and Guardians of the Faith.
Are they really that? Or are they more like racketeers who are profiting off the pilgrimage, taking blood money to keep their people in line and oppressing the members of their faith who are being social advocates, seeking economic justice, and trying to live out the tenets of their faith in the way they think is best?
Well, I would never have thought of it like that, but when I see Israeli Jewish peace activists being tossed in the slammer, being tear gassed, being called “ANTI-SEMITES” by a Hard-right Likud/Shas/Nationalist party coalition, it makes me think about it.
By claiming the mantle of the “Jewish STate” it is simulataneously seeking to SILENCE opposing Jewish voices. It is creating an ORTHODOXY of Politico-Religious dimensions. It is not just going to be the “Jewish State” in the sense of being a “place where Jews are safe.” But instead, it is seeking to be the ONLY Voice in Judaism. The one with the guns, bombs, and political and economic power to SHUT DOWN dissenting Jewish voices.
And that is a horribly different thing than what Theodore Herzl envisioned or other early Zionists envisioned. I don’t think a lot of fellow Jews have thought through the implications of abdicating our right to dissent. I think a lot of well-intentioned Jewish voices are somewhat supportive of all Israeli policies, by rote and default, because they are trusting naively that this all going to be good for them.
Do Christians want America to position itself as the Voice of Christendom? Do Muslims feel that the Saudi Royal Family should be the Spokesmen and Imprimaturs of Islam? Do Jews want Netanyahu/Lieberman to be able to shut the rest of us down and be the monopolistic voice of Judaism and Jewish Ideals?
Because THAT is exactly what Abe Foxman is doing here. He is basically saying that only ONE version of Judaism can exist, only ONE Jewish perspective can exist, and only ONE policy is legitimate. All being the same thing – the Official Israeli Government Policy. All else is anti-Semitic, and therefore slanderous, blood-libel, and hateful. And should be outlawed and criminalized. That is where this is going. Make no mistake, I think that this is an early floater, an early shot across the bow, an early Test Balloon.
The reason that I think that is because the ADL is not just calling dissenting Jews as “Anti-Semites” but it is simultaneously rewarding MURDOCH and NEWS CORP with accolades of “tolerance” and “peace.”
WHAT?!?!? So, the Organization that funds and promotes the GlennBeckian worldview of hatred, racism and bigotry-inspired VIOLENCE is rewarded as being “friendly to Judaism” but Jews who support PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS, and TOLERANCE are “anti-Semites?!”
News Corp has proven that it can reframe the entire national dialogue. It has the platform to push the Corporatist AGenda, and they have WON that fight for the past 2 years, at least, effectively neutering the Democrats in Congress and The White House. ADL partnering with News Corp to vilify one group of Jews so as to delegitimize them while promoting Israeli Government Policy as the “only view of Judaism you can trust” is no different than Fox News being “the only name in news you can trust.”
I think the “loyalty oath” that people should be worried about is what happen when Jews are told they are no longer “true Jews” because they spoke against the High Priests of Israeli Government. Heresy is not often tolerated within an Establishment…
Just slightly OT: this past Tuesday on The Good Wife [a very good show, with good ratings] “Peter,” the disgraced candidate who’s trying to redeem himself, is at dinner at home with a big Israel proponent, whose support he’s trying to woo. His very smart daughter [probably around age 15] speaks up about the armada incident — a couple of times — and even describes it as “Israel’s unprovoked attack on people trying to deliver relief supplies” [or something like that].
I was cheering that this got in there and out over the airwaves. However, I’ll bet they got hate mail.
It’s barely worth mentioning the list. But congratulations are in order, I guess. Bravo.
I saw that too. I was at first a bit disappointed that they had to go there, when Eli was talking to the donor who was mad about the Jimmy Carter book.
This is the show that mentioned Sarah Palin several times last season. The forensics expert loved Sarah Palin, while the attorney loved Hillary Clinton. To me, it was a bit sad to see such a great show put the two women on the same plane, as if they are the equivalent of one another. To me, it was just another way for corporate media to artificially keep Sarah Palin alive in the public’s mind, and to inflate her worth as a contender far beyond reality. I saw the attempt to demonize Carter and portray the daughter of Peter as “sentimentalizing Hamas” (as the donor called it) as another example of what Abe Foxman is doing. Blurring the lines between legitimate concerns for Gazan Civilians and being a Hamas supporter.
I don’t support Hamas. But I do oppose the GAza Blockade. That very important nuance was completely collapsed on that episode. Her support of the Flotilla was equated with support of Hamas. So, I have mixed feeling about this topic being presented on the airwaves the way it was. I felt like it was a hack job more than a legitimate presentment of a perspective.
If the main character had actually said, “Look I support Israel’s right to exist, but I don’t support its policies with respect to innocent Palestinians” then maybe we could argue that the episode made a good point. Instead, the main character was jumping up and down to say that there was only two points – “I support Israel” and “anything else is supporting Hamas.”
That is what Abe Foxman is trying to do. Create this artificial Hegelian Dialectic of “You’re either with us or you’re against us” bullshit.
CT,
No blogs on the list. Maybe we should write to Abe and ask him to come up with a blog list.
The ADL said “Jewish Voice for Peace” hates Jews.
Think that says all that needs to be said.
Hmmm…I was at a protest today with a lot of those organizations participating. Guess that makes me a self-hating Jew….
But this is good news. If the ADL feels threatened by these groups, even though they’re just peaceful dissident groups, they must be doing something right to get their message out there.
Thanks for this post. Just damn.
Yes they seek to conflate criticism of Israel with hate speech, and ultimately the T-word – any criticism of Israel anywhere = terrorism.
I do think they’re getting more desperate and less successful with this battering-ram, but then again they have Murdoch’s Lie Screen, which has managed to pretty much destroy America, so who knows.
My late Jewish ex-wife is certainly spinning in her grave at this fascist shit.
Great comments marsdragon.
To reiterate my earlier point about the ADL rewarding Rupert Murdoch for being supposedly a champion of civil liberties (or some bullshit like that), Rupert takes the podium and says this (emphasis mine):
Which is what drives me up the wall. Seriously? The Anti-Defamation League has congratulated the CEO of News Corp and owner of Fox News for his:
Are you fucking shitting me? His promotion of RESPECT?!?
This organization has completely shown its ass. I don’t know what they think they’re doing, but this is sick. Of all the people in the fucking world to honor for PROMOTING RESPECT, I am surprised they didn’t just pick Glenn Fucking Beck for that honor! I mean, Rupert has made him a centerpiece of his Media Image! Rupert just pulls Beck’s strings, so I guess Rupert deserved this award more than ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING, huh?
What’s next, Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck get to be on the Righteous Gentiles list?!?!
Okay, I’m done ranting. But seriously?!?…
I am just saying, that we ALL need to take this seriously. The ADL is not some poser or some garage-based blogger. This guy Foxman is not a guy in pajamas with an axe to grind.
Just read the news and look at the new tone that is being taken. They are lionizing Rupert Murdoch and demonizing people like those on FDL who are blogging about human rights, challenging Israeli policies on a policy-by-policy basis, and essentially applying the same litmus tests to Israel as we do to the USA, Britain, France, Iran, South AFrica, China, Russia (The USSR back in the day), etc, etc, etc.
Basically, we are all people who call a spade a FUCKING SPADE. And this time, this particular spade will now call us BIGOTS. Even if we are self-hating bigots. The old canard. We’ve all heard about the “wickedly evil” George Soros, who supposedly was part a self-hating Jew who joing the Hitler Youth and turned into a collaborator (well, Hannity has run it on his special programs, and yes, I have used a clothes pin to do opposition research and thus endured the painful experience of watching him).
So, what now? I seriously think we all be better be prepared. The words, “Often this new anti-Semitism dresses itself up as legitimate disagreement with Israel” can very easily, but illogically, be reversed around. Just imagine that people will start saying these words over and over and over, on tv outlet, newspapers, blogs, etc, over and over and over…
“Often this new anti-Semitism dresses itself up as legitimate disagreement with Israel”
“Often this new anti-Semitism dresses itself up as legitimate disagreement with Israel”
“Often this disagreement with Israel is newly dressed up anti-Semitism”
“disagreement with Israel is newly dressed up anti-Semitism”
“disagreement with Israel is anti-Semitism”
And who will be the Number One Defender against the Bigots? Why, Rupert Murdoch of course!! And his valiant team of civil rights heroe and Righteous Gentiles, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Sarah Palin!!!
(while they call all Muslims terrorists with one mouth, and then turn around and call even Jews as bigots for challenging Israeli government policy).
Its okay to smear an entire religion of 1.2 billion people, but its not okay to challenge a GOVERNMENT POLICY of a nation. And then, to HIJACK the Jewish Faith from those who are members of it and instead say to us that Rupert Murdoch better represents the ideals of Judaism than Jews who advocate HUMAN RIGHTS and SOCIAL JUSTICE!!!
Like a dagger through the heart. And I was a B’nai B’rith member for most of my adult life. Donated to the ADL for quite a bit. I feel like those items on window-stickers that Calvin is peeing on… and Foxman is Calvin.
I guess we all have to wake up sometime. What’s next, the NAACP awarding Carl Paladino with “Civil Rights Hero of the 21st Century?!” and then posting http://www.colorofchange.org as the number one racist website in America within a few days of that?
Maybe if OBama can claim he’s against DADT while simultaneously directing DOJ to fight the stay, then ADL can reward Rupert Murdoch while slamming Jews for peace.
(I wasn’t done ranting, apparently…)
Okay, so did any of us over the past, say, um,…. 30 years or so, ever effectively “Delegitimize” the United STates of America when we pointed out the injustices of its current government (whatever that may have been).
Did Woodstock “delegitimize” America? Was that even the point?
Did Bill Clinton apologizing for Slavery delegitimize America?
Did ending Slavery delegitimize America?
Does the DREAM Act threaten to delegitimize America?!?
Does the FBI arrest peace activists because THEIR goal is to DELEGITIMIZE AMERICA?
They might as well say that Amnesty International tries to delegitimize every nation run by human beings on this planet.
Daniel Ellsberg couldn’t even “delegitimize” the United STates. What does Foxman even think he’s talking about?!?
I’ll tell you what had “delegitimized” America:
30 years of stupid trickle-down economics
The Mortgage Backed Security fiasco, where the investment grade of those products is worse than horseshit
The Presidency of George W. Bush did more to delegitimize America and the actions of his Treasury and SEC and CFTC, et. al. have done more to DELEGITIMIZE the American economy.
So, if Foxman is worried about ISrael being “Delegitimized” perhaps he and his Neocons should worry MORE about the POLITICIANS driving Israel over the fucking cliff who have their hands on the levers of power there and have every ability to choose to do RIGHT or to choose to do WRONG. Shutting people like me down is going to accomplish Jack Diddly Squat.
Because the world doesn’t NEED Jewish Voice for Peace, or any other peace organization, to point out the FUCKING OBVIOUS realities on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza and Israel proper. Shutting us down is just sort of showing their fucking asses for what they are. A goon-squad whose new objective is to shut down internal dissent and vilify external comments tha are merely stating the OBVIOUS.
That’s why the FBI was so stupid arresting peace activists. They think those dozen or so peaceniks are going to end the War Profiteering in Afghanistan?!? I laugh so hard it hurts and makes me cry. Hamid Corruption Karzai has got a far better chance of doing that. Or blame the drone operators in Colorado who are shooting up civilians without a second thought. THAT “might” have something to do with making the war effort fail. But they would rather slap the fly on the wall than deal with the elephant in the room.
Hint – there are millions of flies. You gonna swat us all instead of just dealing with the ONE elephant?
Being labeled anti-Israel by the ADL is like being labeled anti-white by the KKK.
I don’t think the ADL is quite like the KKK, but I otherwise get your point.
It is a shame that the ADL has misused its platform and position to become a craven mouthpiece for a nation-state. It was supposed to be a champion like the NAACP to protect people from hate, discrimination, and misinformation.
What the ADL has become is a lobbying and propoganda organ for a very small but powerful slice of people that have no interest in civil liberties, stopping hate, or bringing peace between people of difference.
Sad.