ADL Chief Rips Congresswoman Over Israel ‘Slander’

Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), chastised Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) for her critique about Israel launching a military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin.

Their clash took place Monday on Twitter after Tlaib, a Palestinian American and member of the leftist “Squad” in the House, reacted to video footage posted by Al Jazeera English that seemed to show an Israeli bulldozer destroying a street in a Jenin refugee camp.

The post from Al Jazeera English also noted that Palestinian officials say road destruction has hindered the ability of ambulances to reach injured people.

Video footage shows an Israeli bulldozer destroying a street in Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank as Israel’s forces carried out a deadly raid.

The destruction of the roads has prevented ambulances from getting to injured people, say Palestinian officials ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/6tZxomfsnp

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 3, 2023

“Israeli forces are now blocking ambulances from reaching the dozens of wounded Palestinians after at least eight people were killed in Jenin,” Tlaib said in a tweet. “Congress must stop funding this violent Israeli apartheid regime.”

Israeli forces are now blocking ambulances from reaching the dozens of wounded Palestinians after at least eight people were killed in Jenin.

Congress must stop funding this violent Israeli apartheid regime. https://t.co/uPEEhWDDrG

— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 3, 2023

Greenblatt reacted by accusing Tlaib of spreading falsehoods and echoing what the Israeli Defense Force has said about the operation — that the IDF is striking “terrorist infrastructure” while conducting a counterterrorism operation in the area.

“Even for [Tlaib], the level of dishonesty here is truly staggering,” Greenblatt said.

Even for @RashidaTlaib, the level of dishonesty here is truly staggering.

For starters, it’s a complete fiction. But equally important, this was a targeted action against armed terrorists who brutally murdered innocents, recklessly hid weapons under a mosque and intentionally… https://t.co/1KGuoM1qiz

— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) July 3, 2023

“For starters, it’s a complete fiction. But equally important, this was a targeted action against armed terrorists who brutally murdered innocents, recklessly hid weapons under a mosque and intentionally located their ops center next to a school,” he added.

“But when members of congress knowingly slander the Jewish state in a time of rising anti-Jewish hate, they should be held accountable for fanning the flames and endangering Jewish people everywhere,” Greenblatt concluded.

In her Twitter thread, Tlaib shared as a “Source” a link to a February article from Haaretz, an Israeli news outlet, about the perils faced by rescue teams working in Jenin.

⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Hf55Kax4UA

— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 3, 2023

Greenblatt, who served in former President Barack Obama’s White House, has criticized Tlaib before for her anti-Israel rhetoric: Last year, joined with Jewish pro-Israel Democrats in condemning Tlaib after she declared that “you cannot claim to hold progressive values yet back Israel’s apartheid government” at an American Muslims for Palestine event.

“In one sentence, [Tlaib] simultaneously tells American Jews that they need to pass an anti-Zionist litmus test to participate in progressive spaces even as she doubles down on her #antisemitism by slandering Israel as an apartheid state,” Greenblatt said in a pair of tweets reacting to Tlaib’s assertion. “It’s absolutely reprehensible and does nothing to advance the cause of peace. We call on people of good will and leaders across the political spectrum to make clear that such #antisemitism will not be tolerated,” he added.