Multiple Terror Attacks in Israel; Lipstadt Confirmed as Antisemitism Envoy; BDS Vote Brings Backlash by Universities

April 04, 2022

THE WEEK’S BIG 3

A Palestinian gunman killed five people in an ultra-Orthodox city outside of Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, the latest in a surge of terror attacks in Israel this month that has claimed 11 lives. The Senate in a voice vote unanimously confirmed Deborah Lipstadt, the Holocaust scholar who endured delays and a contentious hearing in her nomination to be antisemitism monitor. Multiple universities announced that they are disassociating themselves from the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) after the organization overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution endorsing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Read on for more on these headlines, news you can use to fight hate and the latest info about ADL from around the country.

1) 11 Israelis Killed in Multiple Terror Attacks in Recent Days

“The spasm of violence heightened fears of an even more intense surge over the next month, when the rare convergence of Ramadan, Passover and Easter is expected to raise tensions further between Israelis and Palestinians.” The New York Times: LEARN MORE

+ ADL tweet: In recent days, 11 people were killed in terror attacks in cities across @Israel. These victims were Jews, Arabs, Druze and Christians going about their daily lives - walking a baby, shopping, working, spending time with a friend.

+ ADL tweet: The #Negev_Summit was important both historically, as it brought together Israeli and Arab leaders, and symbolically, as it took place on Israeli soil. Israel’s first PM, David Ben-Gurion, lived and was buried in the host town of Sde Boker. He would be amazed to see this happen.

2) U.S. Senate Unanimously Confirms Deborah Lipstadt as Antisemitism Envoy

“… the fact that none of Lipstadt’s erstwhile Republican critics demanded debate or a headcount — actions that could have further delayed her nomination — was in sharp contrast to the procedural maneuvers Republicans used for months to delay her confirmation.” JTA: FULL STORY

+ Jonathan Greenblatt tweet: Mazal Tov to Dr. @DeborahLipstadt on her confirmation as the US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. I look forward to working w/her & feel excited that such an eminently qualified person will lead the US govt effort to combat #antisemitism around the world.

+ ADL tweet: Thank you to our volunteers who contacted Senators more than 18,000 times urging support for @DeborahLipstadt’s nomination. We made it happen!

3) Brandeis Disassociates from MESA Following Passage of Pro-BDS Resolution

“The resolution, which MESA members had been voting on from January 31-March 22, received 768 votes in favor and 167 against. The resolution accused Israeli universities of being ‘imbricated’ in ‘systemic violations’ against the Palestinians.” Jewish Journal: READ MORE

+ ADL tweet: All institutional members of @MESA_1966 should follow the lead of @BrandeisU and dissociate after it ratified a #BDS resolution boycotting Israeli academic institutions. This resolution is antithetical to academic freedom & discourages productive dialogue.

+ ADL Resource: BDS -- The Global Campaign to Delegitimize Israel

KEY ADL SOCIAL STATEMENTS

• ADL asked for $360 million to be added into the @POTUS budget for the Non-Profit Security Grant Program -- and that’s how much is included. Volunteers nationwide mobilized over 4,000 emails to push elected officials to support this…
• Here’s an easy way to take a stand against the #antisemitism showing up on far too many college campuses including recently at @UConn — simply sign this petition to support a student who has been targeted…
• There is an entrenched, hostile anti-Israel infrastructure at @UN_HRC. The new ‘special rapporteur’ exemplifies this bias and should be disqualified because she’s far from an honest broker…

IN THE COMMUNITY

Attacks on women in Akron may be tied to Proud Boys (Cleveland Jewish News)

• Woman wearing Nazi symbol condemned by ADL, Laguna Woods mayor (Orange County Register)
• Bangor Police looking into reports of hate speech materials found in borough, surrounding townships (WFMZ-TV, Allentown, PA – Andrew Goretsky interviewed)

ADL IN THE NEWS

• How lagging prosecutions and long jail stays are fanning the flames of Jan. 6 extremism (Jewish Insider)
• Scandinavian governments asked to 'contain' Neo-Nazi organizations - ADL (The Jerusalem Post)
• Lara Logan's Latest Anti-Semitic comments Are "More Suited for a White Supremacist Chat Room" (Vanity Fair)