FACT CHECK: Facebook Post Falsely Claims ADL CEO Said Anyone Who Criticizes Israel Is A ‘Terrorist’

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on Facebook claims Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt purportedly said anyone who criticizes Israel is a “terrorist.”

Verdict: False

The claim originally stems from an Oct. 10 article published on “The People’s Voice,” a website that is known for spreading “fake news.” An ADL spokesperson denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.

Fact Check:

Greenblatt recently defended the ADL’s decision to honor former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, at the organization’s annual conference aimed at fighting Anti-Semitism, according to the Times of Israel. Kushner was interrupted by protestors at the event while accepting an award for his efforts on the Abraham Accords, the New Republic reported.

A screenshot of an article featured in the Facebook post claims Greenblatt purportedly said anyone who criticizes Israel is a “terrorist.” “Outlaw the ADL!” the Facebook post’s caption reads in part.

The claim is false, however, and originally stems from an Oct. 10 article published on “The People’s Voice,” a website that is known for spreading “fake news.” A “Liability Disclaimer” included on the site’s “Terms of Use” page indicates it “makes no representations about the suitability, reliability, availability, timeliness, and accuracy of the information, software, products, services and related graphics contained on the site for any purpose.”

The site, which has previously been known as “NewsPunch” and “YourNewsWire,” is described as “one of the most well-known purveyors of fake news online,” according to a 2019 article from Mashable. (RELATED: Video Does Not Show Haifa Port On Fire)

The article makes the claim based on a speech Greenblatt delivered in New York on Oct. 13 at a vigil for victims of terrorist attacks in Israel. At no point in his set of three-minute marks did Greenblatt make the purported remark. Instead, he condemned Anti-Semitism and the Oct. 7 attacks carried out by Hamas.

Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. Logically Facts debunked the claim in a Mar. 6 article. Additionally, the ADL has not publicly commented on the claim.

Furthermore, a spokesperson for the ADL denied the claim in an email to Check Your Fact.

“Jonathan [Greenblatt] never made these statements. It is a total misrepresentation of his remarks. We believe there’s plenty of room for criticism of Israel in our democracy, so long as that criticism does not cross the line into Anti-Semitism,” the spokesperson said.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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