No, the ADL's Jonathan Greenblatt didn't say 'if you criticize Israel, you are a terrorist'

By: Naledi Mashishi
March 6 2024

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Source: The People's Voice/Modified by Logically Facts

The claim 

Multiple social media users have shared a screenshot that falsely claims the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Jonathan Greenblatt, said in a speech, "If you criticize Israel, you are a terrorist." 

The screenshot appears to have been taken from an article that says that Greenblatt had called "anyone who dares criticize Israel a 'terrorist' and 'Hamas sympathizer.'" The article goes on to say, "According to Greenblatt, people who voice anti-Israel or pro-Palestine opinions are 'accomplices to Hamas.'"

"What in the fascism is this?" says the caption above the screenshot in one post on X. 

However, Greenblatt did not make any such statement. The claim originates from The People's Voice, previously known as YourNewsWire, a known misinformation site. We have previously debunked false information published by them. 

What we found

We found the original article published by The People's Voice on 10 October 2023. The article shows a photo of Greenblatt standing behind a podium. It says Greenblatt had declared "on Monday" – referring to 9 October – that "people who voice anti-Israel or pro-Palestine opinions are "accomplices" in Hamas' attacks who will "end" on "the ashes of history." 

On 9 October 2023, New York City Mayor Eric Adams hosted a candlelight vigil for the 1,200 victims of the 7 October attacks orchestrated by Hamas in Israel. Greenblatt was one of the speakers who gave an address in which he condemned the attacks and those who support them but did not say that anyone who criticizes Israel is a terrorist.

We found a YouTube video showing Greenblatt's address and a transcript published on the City of New York's official website. In the address, Greenblatt does not say, "If you criticize Israel, you are a terrorist." 

He says, "I am disgusted not just by the atrocities… but by their accomplices, here in New York, marching in front of my office saying, resistance. Let me tell you something: rape is not resistance. Murder is not a political movement. And these people will end where evil always does, on the ashes of history." 

We were unable to find instances of Greenblatt saying that anyone who criticizes Israel is a terrorist. We found other blog posts on the ADL's website that criticize specific statements made by various pro-Palestine supporters and organizations over the years but don't say that anyone who criticizes Israel is a "terrorist."

One of these blog posts states, "It's possible to criticize Israeli actions and policies without calling for the eradication of the Jewish state." The organization goes on to say that they cannot ascribe specific intent to those who attend demonstrations or chant slogans which the ADL argues are antisemitic, and that in a democracy, everyone has a right to express an opinion.

This implies that while the organization condemns specific statements and individuals, it has not accused everyone who criticizes Israel of being a terrorist.

Logically Facts contacted the ADL for confirmation. A representative said, "Jonathan never made these statements. It is a total misrepresentation of his remarks." They added, "We believe there's plenty of room for criticism of Israel in our democracy, so long as that criticism does not cross the line into antisemitism."

 The verdict

A viral screenshot taken from an article published in October 2023 claims that ADL's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said, "If you criticize Israel, you are a terrorist," during a public address in New York City. However, video footage of his address and transcripts show that he did not say this. Therefore, we have rated this claim as false.