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Thursday, Oct 14, 2010 9:33 PM UTC

Anti-Defamation League beclowns itself, again

Abe Foxman calls Jewish Voices for Peace one of the "top 10 anti-Israel groups in America"

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Topics: Israel, War Room, Abe Foxman,

Anti-Defamation League beclowns itself, againAbraham Foxman, national Director of the Anti-Defamation League, speaks to reporters at ADL's office in New York after he saw the Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" for the second time Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004 He said he was still worried about reactions to the film when it comes out in places like Argentina and Europe, where there's been less debate about its content. (AP Photo/David Karp)(Credit: Associated Press)

Last time we checked in on the Anti-Defamation League, the group was arguing against the Islamic community center near ground zero and trying to stop Muslims from learning about the Holocaust.

Now, the Abe Foxman-led outfit is taking aim at other American Jews who are not sufficiently blindly supportive of the nation of Israel. To wit: here is the ADL’s official list of the “top 10 anti-Israel groups in America.” These are groups that “seek to undermine the Jewish state by spreading malicious propaganda.” Among the winners: Jewish Voices for Peace.

Says Foxman in the official press release: 

These groups are not promoting peace, they are spreading propaganda to assault Israel’s legitimacy. We want to Americans to know who these groups are and what it is they really stand for, which is to delegitimize the Jewish state.

So we went over to the Jewish Voices for Peace website and braced ourselves for some malicious propaganda. Here’s what we found:

Jewish Voice for Peace is a diverse and democratic community of activists inspired by Jewish tradition to work together for peace, social justice, and human rights. We support the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians for security and self-determination.

We seek:

* A U.S. foreign policy based on promoting peace, democracy, human rights, and respect for international law

* An end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem

* A resolution of the Palestinian refugee problem consistent with international law and equity

* An end to all violence against civilians

* Peace among the peoples of the Middle East

Here’s JVP’s 25-member rabbinical council. Here’s a recent statement of JVP-organized artists in support of prominent Israeli actors and directors who refused to perform in the settlements. It is signed by the likes of Cynthia Nixon, Frank Gehry, Stephen Sondheim, Vanessa Redgrave.

If this is what “anti-Israel” looks like, which side will most American Jews choose?

Justin Elliott is a reporter for ProPublica. You can follow him on Twitter @ElliottJustin More Justin Elliott.

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