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Jewish Groups Lambast Wikipedia for Its ‘Attack on ADL’s Credibility’ About Antisemitism, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt speaks during the organization’s “Never Is Now” summit at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan in New York City, US, Nov. 10, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
A total of 43 Jewish organizations signed a letter sent to the Wikimedia Foundation on Monday night that criticized Wikipedia’s conclusion last week that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is not a credible source for information about antisemitism and the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
The Jewish groups — which include B’nai B’rith International, the American Jewish Committee, and American Jewish Congress — expressed concerns regarding Wikipedia’s “attack on ADL’s credibility” and accused the free online encyclopedia of “stripping the Jewish community of the right to defend itself from the hatred that targets our community.”
“We urge you to immediately launch an investigation into this decision and the motivations behind it, and to start the process for administrative reconsideration” stated the letter, which was spearheaded by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and sent to the Wikimedia Foundation board of trustees. “We hope that you will simultaneously speak out clearly and unequivocally in support of the Jewish community’s right to defend against antisemitism.”
Wikipedia’s editors, who are a group of volunteer moderators, voted last week in support of labeling the ADL as a “generally unreliable” source on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Other “generally unreliable” sources, according to Wikipedia’s editors, include Amazon reviews, Russian state media, the National Inquirer, and Newsmax.
The editors also overwhelmingly agreed that the ADL is unreliable on the topic of antisemitism, but a formal declaration on that matter has not been made as of yet. The Wikipedia editors said in an online forum that the ADL’s role as both a pro-Israel advocacy and research organization prevents it from being able to provide unbiased information about Israel or antisemitism.
In their letter to the Wikimedia Foundation, the Jewish organizations — including the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) and Hillel International — said antisemitism is not only “one of the oldest and most pernicious forms of hate,” but also “in many ways, one of the most often misunderstood.” They said they are worried that Wikipedia’s decision about the ADL “will enable others to undermine our community’s claims or charges of antisemitism and simultaneously use Wikipedia’s decision as cover to perpetuate antisemitism.”
“At a time when antisemitic attitudes are increasing, and antisemitic incidents are skyrocketing, this is simply unacceptable, and it puts our entire community at risk,” they added.
The Jewish groups additionally noted that they, as well as the ADL, rely on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism — which is the world’s most widely accepted definition of antisemitism. It has been adopted or endorsed by more than half of the United States and the District of Columbia, and is also used by over 1,000 global entities, including governments, universities, institutions, and other organizations.
“We are firmly united in the belief that an attack on ADL’s reliability over its use of the IHRA definition and advocacy on behalf of the Jewish people weakens us all,” the letter stated in conclusion. “Again, we urge the reconsideration of these actions and encourage Wikipedia to join us in combating antisemitism, rather than acting as a cover for those who seek to perpetuate the scourge of Jew hatred.”
The signatories included the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, American Sephardi Federation, Hadassah, Maccabi USA, Rabbinical Council of America, Iranian American Jewish Federation, and JCC Association of North America, among others.
The ADL criticized Wikipedia’s decision regarding its credibility when it was first announced last week. The civil rights organization called the decision “a sad development for research and education” and “devastating for the Jewish community and society.”
“It is deeply disturbing that the many editors who flagged the severe flaws and inaccuracies in both the reasoning and sources being used in this campaign to delegitimize ADL are being ignored,” an ADL spokesman said in a statement. “They have provided point by point refutations, grounded in factual citations, to every claim made, but apparently facts no longer matter.”
“Who made Wikipedia the arbiters of truth?” asked ADL Director Emeritus Abraham Foxman. “For over 110 years the ADL has jealously guarded its credibility — gaining the respect of the public, media, and government. Who evaluates Wikipedias’ credibility?”
Wikipedia “only discredits its own site when it tries to bar ADL from pages on Israel or antisemitism,” said B’nai B’rith International, which founded the ADL in 1913, in a post on X/Twitter. B’nai B’rith added that it “proudly stands” with the ADL “against all attempts to stifle Jewish perspectives on issues affecting the Jewish people first and foremost.”
The post Jewish Groups Lambast Wikipedia for Its ‘Attack on ADL’s Credibility’ About Antisemitism, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Orban Invites Netanyahu to Hungary as ICC Warrant Divides Europeans
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban looks on as he gives a statement next to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (not pictured) in Budapest, Hungary, Nov. 14, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to visit Hungary but several other European nations said the Israeli premier would be detained if he set foot on their soil, following the issuing of an arrest warrant for him.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defense chief Yoav Gallant, and for a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu and Gallant, adamantly rejected the allegations as false, saying the ICC’s actions were politically motivated.
All European Union (EU) countries are members of the court, which means they are supposed to enforce its warrants.
But the diverging reactions — and the fact that EU heavyweights Germany and France have not said if they would arrest Netanyahu — highlight the major diplomatic and political challenge posed by the ICC decision, which drew swift condemnation from Israeli leaders and the White House.
“For us Europeans, this warrant exposes a real dilemma between international law, which is our law, and our foreign policy, especially for those member states that are unconditionally backing Israel,” Eurointelligence analysts wrote in a note.
Assuring Netanyahu that he would face no risks if he visited Hungary, Orban branded the arrest warrants a “brazen, cynical, and completely unacceptable decision.” Orban, who is often at odds with his EU peers, has forged warm ties with Netanyahu.
“Today I will invite Israel’s prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, for a visit to Hungary and in that invite I will guarantee him that if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary, and we will not follow its contents,” Orban said.
The ICC, which does not have its own police force to carry out arrests, has only limited diplomatic means to force countries to act if they do not want to.
The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Finland, Portugal, Slovenia ,and Ireland are among EU states that have said they would meet their ICC commitments.
Netanyahu will be arrested if he set foot in Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris told RTE radio. “Yes absolutely. We support international courts and we apply their warrants,” Harris said.
Cyprus, which has close ties to Israel, regards the warrants as binding in principle, a government source told Reuters.
GERMANY TORN
But Berlin declined to spell out what it would do until and unless Netanyahu planned to travel to Germany, adding that legal questions had to be clarified regarding the warrant.
Germany “is one of the biggest supporters of the ICC — this attitude is also the result of German history,” a government spokesperson said.
“At the same time, it is a consequence of German history that we share unique relations and a great responsibility with Israel,” the spokesperson added, alluding to the Nazi era.
German officials said they will carefully examine the warrants and how to deal with them.
“I find it hard to imagine that we would make arrests on this basis,” government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit on Friday, pointing out that legal questions had to be clarified regarding the warrant.
France was also non-committal, toning down its initial reaction, which had been to say that its response would align with ICC statutes.
“France takes note of this decision. True to its long-standing commitment to supporting international justice, it reiterates its attachment to the independent work of the Court, in accordance with the Rome Statute,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said in a statement.
Paris said on Friday the ICC decision was not a ruling but a “formalization of an accusation.”
France has been working on Lebanon ceasefire efforts and officials said cornering Netanyahu now could scupper those efforts.
Non-EU Britain — also an ICC member — was similarly circumspect in its response.
In the Netherlands, far-right leader Geert Wilders said he would meet his “friend” Netanyahu in Israel soon, even though the Dutch government has said it will act on the ICC‘s arrest warrant if the Israeli leader were to visit the country.
Wilders is the leader of the largest Dutch government party, but is not himself a cabinet member.
The Czech Republic, which like neighboring Hungary has traditionally sided with Israel, appeared similarly conflicted.
The Czech foreign ministry said Prague would respect its international legal obligations, while Prime Minister Petr Fiala described the ICC decision as “unfortunate” and said it would undermine the court’s authority.
The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which rules Gaza, launched the ongoing war in the Middle East with its invasion of southern Israel last Oct. 7. During the onslaught, the terrorists murdered 1,200 people, wounded thousands more, and kidnapped 251 hostages while perpetrating mass sexual violence against the Israeli people.
Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in neighboring Gaza.
The post Orban Invites Netanyahu to Hungary as ICC Warrant Divides Europeans first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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