ADL’s Task Force on Middle Eastern Minorites expressed deep concern about the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, and called on the international community “to ensure that members of religious minority faiths and the women of Afghanistan are not targeted by the Taliban and should make any diplomatic engagement with the Taliban contingent on their safety and well-being.”

ADL also expressed condolences for those killed in the terror attack on the Kabul airport, including US service members and Afghan civilians, and remembered all the US service members killed during the 20-year war.

ADL called for Twitter and other social media companies to deplatform the Taliban and their affiliated accounts. ADL had previously welcomed Facebook’s decision to take down Taliban-affiliated accounts. 

SVP for International Affairs Sharon Nazarian co-authored an article with Arnold Roth, the father of Malki Roth, a US-Israel dual-citizen who was murdered in the 2001 Sbarro pizzeria bombing in Jerusalem by Hamas.

They wrote that “this month marked the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack at a Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem — and Jordan has unjustifiably persisted in refusing to extradite Ahlam al-Tamimi, the Palestinian terrorist responsible, to Washington, where she faces criminal prosecution.”

Nazarian and Roth called for the US and Israeli governments to urge Jordan to extradite al-Tamimi and to stop the propagation of antisemitism in state textbooks, state mosques, and state media outlets.

In a new op-ed about the 2001 UN World Conference Against Racism, Deputy National Director Ken Jacobson share his analysis about the antisemitic legacy of conference, and raises caution about an upcoming United Nations event to mark the 20th anniversary of Durban. He wrote: “...those who are truly serious about addressing issues of racial discrimination in the world should be the most interested in opposing Durban commemorations. Manifestations of antisemitism undermine the credibility of the struggle against racism and divert attention from the serious work to be done.”

ADL also thanked Bulgaria and France for announcing they will not attend the upcoming 20th anniversary event.

Israel & Broader Middle East

ADL said that a White House meeting between US President Biden and Israeli PM Bennett “attests to the ironclad alliance between America and Israel.”

ADL congratulated Mike Herzog on being nominated as Israel’s next Ambassador to the US.

ADL welcomed news that Israel and Morocco will soon upgrade to full diplomatic relations.

Racist chants at a protest against African asylum seekers in Israel were condemned.

ADL Israel said it was disturbed by reports of a cross being stolen from the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes.

ADL Israel expressed shock by antisemitic images from the West Bank village of Beita of a swastika placed inside of a Star of David that was set alight.

ADL expressed dismay that the new Iranian government includes two cabinet officials wanted for their involvement in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Argentina.

Europe

SVP for International Affairs Sharon Nazarian sent a letter on August 23 to European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi in advance of European Union debates regarding the Palestinian Authority curriculum to make clear ADL’s concern about content in the PA’s official government-published textbooks that glorifies violence and propagates antisemitism.

ADL said it was “deeply alarmed” at a new Polish law restricting justice for Holocaust survivors and others.

Washington Director for International Affairs David Weinberg presented to the board of the World Union of Jewish Students on steps ADL has been taking to monitor, expose, and address antisemitic trends in the Arab world.

Latin America

Liat Altman, Director of Latin American Affairs, presented ADL’s Online Hate Survey and ADL’s approach to online hate to virtual conference on "Hate Speech and Contemporary Challenges" in Brazil, co-sponsored by the Jewish community of Brazil (CONIB) and the Brazilian Bar Association of São Paulo (OAB SP).  

IA staff held a call with the new regional president of the Jewish Community of Argentina (DAIA) to welcome him in his new position, and to discuss topics of mutual concern, including recent incidents of antisemitism and the current political situation and impact of COVID the country.

In an effort to reach and expand ADL’s Spanish speaking audiences in the US and around the world, several ADL op-eds were translated into Spanish:

• Ken Jacobson's Protocols of the Elders of Zion Op-Ed
• Spanish version of cyberthate guide on ADL’s Website
• Blog on El Paso attack
• ADL's Immigration guide was published on the Univision website

A new feature was introduced to ADL's videos: Spanish burned-in captions which enables them to be shared and viewed on Spanish social media.
For additional ADL resources in Spanish, please visit ADL’s social media pages:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube

Global & Communal

ADL condemned antisemitic incidents and trends globally, including: a Jewish online shiva service was attacked with antisemitic slogans in Brazil; antisemitic and white supremacist graffiti painted on the Central Synagogue in Sofia, Bulgaria; antisemitic graffiti was spray painted on a synagogue in Toronto, Canada; a monument to Holocaust survivor Simone Veil was defaced in France; a young man wearing a kippah was attacked in Germany; a Jewish cemetery was desecrated in Ioannina, Greece; a monument for Holocaust victims was defaced in Poland; antisemitic slander was directed at the Jewish community in Turkey; visibly Jewish individuals were physically assaulted in London, UK; and the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Uman’s daughter was desecrated in Ukraine.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews’s unequivocal condemnation of antisemitism directed at the Australian Jewish community was welcomed.

CEO Jonathan Greenblatt sent a letter on August 25 to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey raising concern about U.S. designated terrorist organizations Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad media outlets being permitted to maintain profiles on Twitter despite online and offline conduct that violates Twitter’s own stated policies and commitments to US lawmakers.

ADL marked the 4th anniversary of the start of the mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya, and reiterated calls for justice for the victims and for the US government to recognize it as a case of genocide.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the debunking of the antisemitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion, two pieces were published:

Deputy National Director Ken Jacobson on the work of Philip Graves to debunk the work, and how much more work remains to combat the hate contained in the document.

Washington Director for International Affairs David Weinberg in on how we know the Protocols are a deadly hoax, and why people of good conscience must combat it.

Tommy Tenenbaum, who interned for ADL’s European Affairs department, shared his reflections about his ADL experience:

"My six-week summer internship in the international affairs department of ADL has not only met but exceeded my expectations. I am thankful for having been given the ability to see first-hand how widespread the issues of different forms of hate are, along with the tireless work going into combating such crimes. The opportunity to attend a meeting at the House of Lords in the UK is an experience I will hold with me forever. Throughout my time I was given the chance to improve my research skills and quality of writing, as well as learn important techniques to thrive in a working environment. I will be forever grateful for the experience gained and the kindness of the whole international affairs team."