ADL lists top 10 anti-Israel groups in U.S.

Jewish Voice for Peace included on list, drafted based on groups' ability to organize events, attract supporters, form relationships with like-minded groups.

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.

The ADL's list comprises the following groups: Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER), Al-Awda, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Friends of Sabeel-North America, If Americans Knew, International Solidarity Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace, Muslim American Society, Students for Justice in Palestine and the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation.

In choosing the lists, the ADL analyzed the ability of these groups to organize events, attract supporters and form relationships with similar organizations.

“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.”

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/adl-lists-top-10-anti-israel-groups-in-u-s-1.319155?localLinksEnabled=false

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.” Murdoch told participants at the dinner that signs were abounding of rising anti-Semitism, particularly from elements on the Left under the guise of legitimate criticism of Israel. “When Americans think of anti-Semitism, we tend to think of the vulgar caricatures and attacks of the first part of the 20th century,” Murdoch said. “Now it seems that the most virulent strains come from the left. Often this new anti-Semitism dresses itself up as legitimate disagreement with Israel.” He urged the Obama administration to continue its support of Israel and warned against distancing itself from Jerusalem in order to gain credibility in the Muslim world. “Some believe that if America wants to gain credibility in the Muslim world and advance the cause of peace, Washington needs to put some distance between itself and Israel," he said. "My view is the opposite. Far from making peace more possible, we are making hostilities more certain.” http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/accepting-adl-award-murdoch-decries-ongoing-war-against-jews-1.319145