US Jewish Groups Decry Amnesty International Report on Israel; Whoopi Goldberg Suspended Over Holocaust Comments; FBI Identifies Suspects Accused of Threatening HBCUs

February 03, 2022

THE WEEK’S BIG 3

Major U.S. Jewish groups, including ADL, blasted Amnesty International’s latest “effort to demonize Israel” – this time in the form of a report accusing Israel of being an apartheid state and engaging in ethnic cleansing. ABC News suspended The View host Whoopi Goldberg for two weeks after she drew significant criticism for falsely claiming that the Holocaust was "not about race." The FBI has identified people suspected of making bomb threats directed at historically Black colleges and universities – which the bureau is investigating as hate crimes.

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. US Jewish Groups Decry Amnesty International’s Use of ‘Apartheid’ to Describe Israel

   “The report presents ‘an unbalanced, inaccurate, and incomplete review and instead inexplicably focuses on one aim: to demonize and delegitimize the Jewish and democratic State of Israel,’ read a joint statement released on Sunday by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Federations of North America and B’nai B’rith International.” Haaretz: LEARN MORE

   + READ: ADL Condemns Amnesty International’s Latest Effort to Demonize Israel

   + Jonathan Greenblatt tweet: This report goes beyond criticizing Israeli policies to painting its creation as a Jewish state as illegitimate & immoral. As we saw last May, unhinged rhetoric leads to unhinged actions; @amnesty must accept responsibility for the damage this will do to Jews around the world.

2. ABC Suspends Whoopi Goldberg Over Holocaust Comments

   “In the episode, Ms. Goldberg said the Holocaust was about ‘man’s inhumanity to man’ and ‘not about race.’ When one of her co-hosts challenged that assertion, saying the Holocaust was driven by white supremacy, Ms. Goldberg said, ‘But these are two white groups of people.’” New York Times: FULL STORY

   + WATCH: ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt on The View

   + READ: Why I forgave Whoopi Goldberg on national TV a day after her remarks on the Holocaust – USA Today

3. FBI Identifies Suspects Accused of Making Threats to HBCUs This Week

   “At least a half-dozen historically Black universities in five states and the District of Columbia received bomb threats Monday, and at least a dozen more schools received such threats on Tuesday. Many of the schools locked down their campuses for a time. Authorities found no bombs after extensive searches.” Associated Press: READ MORE

   + Jonathan Greenblatt tweet: Thank you to the @FBI and law enforcement authorities who’ve identified the perpetrators who are terrorizing HBCUs with these hateful and racist threats. The Jewish community and @ADL specifically have faced bomb threats in recent years and offer solidarity for our HBCU friends.

   + LISTEN: Oren Segal, ADL’s VP for the Center on Extremism, on NPR Chicago discussing the threats

KEY ADL SOCIAL STATEMENTS

• #BlackHistoryMonth ​commemorates the impact the Black community has had on ​U.S. culture. It’s a month of learning & lifting heroes and people new & old. This @NPR article tells the story behind Black History Month & offers a look at this year's theme…
• I'm happy @deborahlipstadt will have her Senate confirmation hearing next week. The U.S. Senate must confirm Dr. Lipstadt so that we can get to work fighting #antisemitism with the required urgency I know she'll bring as Special Envoy…
• Violent domestic extremism poses a threat to all Americans & especially Jewish Americans who are targeted from all ends of the ideological spectrum. @JGreenblattADL explained to the House Homeland Security Committee how we can work to #ProtectAgainstHate…

IN THE COMMUNITY

• Jewish groups seek to educate following antisemitic demonstration in Florida (News4 Jacksonville – Lonny Wilk interviewed)
• Neo-Nazis target anti-racist doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital, calling them 'anti-white' (WGBH Boston)
• 'It's Difficult But We'll Overcome This' (CBS Chicago – David Goldenberg interviewed)

ADL IN THE NEWS

• Trump’s Words, and Deeds, Reveal Depths of His Drive to Retain Power (New York Times)
• A Look at the Work of Combating Hate With ADL's Debora Lehrer (Muse)
• House Homeland Security Committee hearing addresses domestic antisemitism threats (Jewish Insider)

For more information about Fighting Hate for Good with ADL, subscribe to Headlines and our other free email newsletters:

Headlines > The latest news stories from across the country and around the globe in the fight against antisemitism, extremism and hate.

Center on Extremism Monthly > News, trends and a look at the work ADL's Center on Extremism (COE) experts do every day.

My Region's Newsletter > ADL in your community, fighting antisemitism, extremism and hate of all kinds — and ways you can get more involved.

Fighting Hate Online > News, trends and legislation to fight online hate and harassment from ADL‘s Center for Technology and Society.

Education Update > Anti-bias curricula, lesson plans and resources to help promote equity in schools and communities.

Advocacy Matters > ADL’s vital policy work in Washington and around the country, and actions you can take to counter hate and extremism.

International Report > Our work around the world fighting antisemitism and other forms of hate, and what you can do to get more involved.