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The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) of B'nai B'rith is an American organization founded in 1918 to fight anti-Semitism, racism and bigotry.

With an annual budget of over $40 million, the ADL now has 29 offices domestically and 3 offices abroad. Increasingly, the ADL agenda has been turned towards pro-Israel activism.

The originally formed in response to the lynching of Leo Frank in Georgia on a trumped up murder charge of killing Mary Phagan. Ironically, the Frank case, which eventually led to the establishment of the Anti-Defamation League, also resulted in the revival of the Ku Klux Klan, then known as "the Knights of Mary Phagan".

Arab-Jewish relations

Although the Anti-Defamation League has not worked together with Arab-American and Muslim-American civil rights groups (owing to disagreement concerning the Israeli-Palestine conflict), the Anti-Defamation League has on numerous occasions publicly condemned slurs against Islam.

The ADL website notes that:

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against America, ADL has responded to numerous incidents of violence and harassment against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and other individuals or groups that are perceived to be of Middle Eastern descent. Our message is consistent and clear -- no one should be singled out for hatred, prejudice or blame based on their ethnicity or religion. American unity and democracy is founded on this important ideal.

Black-Jewish relations

Historically, African-Americans and Jews worked closely together in the civil rights struggle. Since the 70s relations have been less smooth, owing to diverging opinions on a range of issues (including affirmative action, welfare, Israel and a range of other topics).

ADL speaks out against extremist voices in the Black-community, especially against the Nation of Islam, which the ADL consider to be black supremacist. However, the ADL also works to combat racism against all racial groups, including racism against blacks. In 1997 the National Center for Black-Jewish Relations of Dillard University (a historically Black University in New Orleans) awarded the director of the ADL, Abraham H. Foxman, with the first Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. - Donald R. Mintz Freedom and Justice Award.

Criticism of the ADL

The ADL is criticized for equating views critical of Israeli policies with anti-semitism, and thereby stifling discussion about Israeli policies.

Noam Chomsky, a critic of Israel wrote in his 1989 book Necessary Illusions:

"The ADL has virtually abandoned its earlier role as a civil rights organization, becoming 'one of the main pillars' of Israeli propaganda in the U.S., as the Israeli press casually describes it, engaged in surveillance, blacklisting, compilation of FBI-style files circulated to adherents for the purpose of defamation, angry public responses to criticism of Israeli actions, and so on....These efforts, buttressed by insinuations of anti-Semitism or direct accusations, are intended to deflect or undermine opposition to Israeli policies, including Israel's refusal, with U.S. support, to move towards a general political settlement."

Supporters of the ADL hold that Chomsky's claims are simply baseless, and that the ADL continues to be a leader in the fight for civil rights, and against racism and anti-Semitism, and a strong defender of the American principle of separation between church and state. ADL supporters note that although the ADL has repeatedly spoken out against Anti-Arab discrimination and against anti-black racism, virtually no Arab or Muslim groups reciprocate.

See also: AIPAC, JCPA, Presidents' Conference, Anti-Semitism, Racism

ADL position statements:

• ADL Responds to Violence and Harassment against Arab Americans and Muslim Americans
• ADL Condemns Hate Literature Distribution at Honolulu Mosque
• ADL statements against racism and bigotry