Thread by @JGreenblattADL

After a recent speech I made, some took issue with my comparing the antisemitic threat of anti-Zionist orgs, ie @NationalSJP, to that posed by far-right extremist orgs. In a recent @TimesofIsrael piece, I explain how & why anti-Zionism is #antisemitism. 🧵blogs.timesofisrael.com/you-dont-need-…

To be fair, the threats of the far-left & extreme-right are very different. As @ADL's documented for yrs, far-right extremism is a singularly lethal threat to the Jewish community, other marginalized communities, & to America. But the anti-Zionist far-left is also a major issue.

First, let's define our terms. #Zionism = belief that the Jewish people have the right to self-determination & statehood in their ancestral homeland. The yearning to return to Zion (the biblical term for Israel) has been central to Judaism and Jewish identity for 1000s of years.

Anti-Zionism, in its current form, is not just the intellectual opposition to the idea that Jews have a right to self-determination and statehood. It's a belief system predicated on the negation of Jewish nationhood and the denial of the Jewish connection to the land.

Anti-Zionist groups like @NationalSJP, @jvplive & @CAIRNational use antisemitic tropes & rhetoric to vilify those associated w/ Zionism & Israel. They wrap themselves in the cloak of solidarity with the oppressed, but this mvmt is as conspiratorial & anti-Jewish as the far-right.

These groups may be calling out “Zionists,” but this is just how they mask attacks on Jews. The problem with this rhetorical sleight-of-hand is that they are not fooling anybody. (@Yair_Rosenberg had a great article about this euphemism⤵️) newsletters.theatlantic.com/deep-shtetl/62…

Unsurprisingly, we’ve seen how when these groups demonize & vilify "Zionists," it leads to violence against Jews. Left unchecked, this will lead to more, even deadly, violence. Whether it's from the far-left or the far-right, extremism is always dangerous. adl.org/resources/pres…

Let’s be clear: Israel isn't exempt from critique. I never said that. Many organizations criticize Israel, eg @AmeinuUSA, @jstreetdotorg and @truahrabbis (as well as @ADL).

But while anti-Zionist groups choose a form of pro-Palestinian activism rooted in anti-Jewish racism, the aforementioned organizations support Palestinian rights without demonizing Jews, calling for violence against anyone, or eradicating of the Jewish state.

They know that words have consequences, so they choose them carefully. I believe anti-Zionist organizations also choose their words carefully and purposefully. It's why I see them as a growing #antisemitic threat—one that @ADL will redouble its efforts to counter.