Students all across the nation are organizing and demanding their campuses divest from Israel and the imperialist war machine. We are called to do the same within our own Asian American organizing spaces.

For decades, Zionist and Islamophobic organization The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and its CEO Jonathan Greenblatt have infiltrated social justice spaces [1] by positioning themselves as progressive leaders. In reality, they align themselves with police and perpetrators of genocidal violence.

Greenblatt currently sits as a board member for The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), a major funder that has secured over $1 billion for AAPI advocacy. As Asian Americans, we must call on TAAF to cut ties with Zionism and Islamophobia.

The ADL has been working to crush student activism. They have intervened in activities at nearly 200 campuses, pressuring school administrations to suppress pro-Palestine voices and sparking investigations against student organizations, like Students for Justice in Palestine, falsely claiming they “celebrate terrorism.” [2]

Greenblatt’s legacy of hate includes:

• Comparing the Palestinian keffiyeh to a swastika [3]

• Joining the Islamophobic campaign to oppose the development of a mosque near Ground Zero [4].

• Repeatedly attacking Muslim and Jewish activists and student organizations, provoking doxxing and harassment [5].

• Leading harmful disinformation and policy campaigns that dehumanize and criminalize student organizations and Palestinians [6].
  

That’s why we demand TAAF: Drop the ADL!

Over 70 Asian American and allied organizations have signed on to demand TAAF drop Greenblatt and the ADL last week. Yet, TAAF has not taken action.

TAAF has a unique responsibility to Asian Americans to take a stance against hate. As a major funder of Asian American organizing, TAAF’s partnership with the ADL’s Greenblatt is hypocritical and damaging to our movements.

When we call out state-sanctioned hate and violence, this must include the Islamophobia and dehumanization of Palestinians that the ADL and Greenblatt spouts. Our work towards liberation cannot leave anyone behind.

Tell TAAF: Remove Jonathan Greenblatt and the ADL from your Board now!

Sources:

[1] https://droptheadl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/adl-primer-april-2021.pdf

[2] https://www.thenation.com/article/society/adl-palestine-terrorism-letter/

[3] https://mondoweiss.net/2024/04/jonathan-greenblatts-racist-keffiyeh-smear-is-another-chapter-in-the-adls-war-on-palestinians/

[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/31/nyregion/31mosque.html

[5] https://www.adl.org/remarks-jonathan-greenblatt-adl-virtual-national-leadership-summit

[6] https://newrepublic.com/post/177993/adl-abandons-pretense-tracking-antisemitism-honestly-palestine-rallies

[7] https://www.taaf.org/news/inside-philanthropy-how-taaf-secured