"The ADL is not merely a Jewish advocacy organization but one that explicitly supports Israel’s Zionist project. It has a history of labeling Palestinian rights movements as antisemitic, conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Palestinian rights movements are demonstrating against Israel’s settler colonial project in Palestinian territories and its apartheid system, not against Judaism itself."
July 25, 2024
To:
Michael Rubinkam, Reporter, Associated Press
Dan Taylor, Managing Editor, CTV News
Dear Mr. Rubinkam and Mr. Taylor,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to express concerns about the article titled “Antisemitism runs rampant in Philadelphia schools, Jewish group alleges in civil rights complaint” published on July 23, 2024.
First, I take issue with the characterization of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as “a prominent Jewish advocacy group.” The ADL’s own description of its role in Israel reveals its conflation of anti-Zionism and antisemitism:
“Within Israel, ADL addresses issues of racism, discrimination and hate and promotes social cohesion initiatives across Israel’s diverse communities while educating the Israeli public about the dangers of rising antisemitism. We educate and engage on how harsh expressions about the Jewish state and Zionism can be antisemitic.”
The ADL is not merely a Jewish advocacy organization but one that explicitly supports Israel’s Zionist project. It has a history of labeling Palestinian rights movements as antisemitic, conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Palestinian rights movements are demonstrating against Israel’s settler colonial project in Palestinian territories and its apartheid system, not against Judaism itself.
I urge you to correct this oversight and clarify that the ADL’s is a pro-Israel organization, as its advocacy extends beyond protecting Jewish interests to explicitly support Israel’s Zionist project.
I hope CTV News will make a good-faith effort to provide a more accurate description of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in the interest of accurate reporting.
Sincerely,
Lynn Naji
Junior Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East