The Anti-Defamation League recorded a record amount of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. throughout 2024, with anger at Israel as the driving force behind them, according to a report released Tuesday.
Each year since 1979, the ADL has tracked antisemitism in the U.S., and the 9,354 occurrences it recorded in 2024 were a record high — surpassing last year’s then-record of 8,873 incidents.
However, the organization has also faced increased criticism for how it defines antisemitism. For example, the phrase “from the river to the sea,” a common chant at pro-Palestine protests nationwide, counts as antisemitic, according to the ADL.
However, the ADL claims, “Legitimate political protest, support for Palestinian rights or expressions of opposition to Israeli policies” do not automatically count as antisemitic.
“The fears of antisemitism are legitimate and real — and we don’t want to see those real fears exploited to undermine democracy,” said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. “I feel that a majority of American Jews can believe that two things are true at the same time.”
Unsurprisingly given the criteria, the ADL found an 84% increase in antisemitic incidents on college campuses compared to 2023. The organization said 18% of all antisemitic events occurred on campuses.
New York led all states with 1,437 antisemitic incidents, according to the ADL. New Jersey was third with 719 such events.
More than half of all 9,354 antisemitic incidents were related to Israel, the ADL said. “Israel-related incidents” accounted for 2,856 events, and “incidents at anti-Israel rallies” accounted for 2,596 incidents, according to the ADL.
The ADL has also been criticized for standing by as President Trump’s administration targets certain students for participating in pro-Palestine rallies.
“We appreciate the Trump Administration’s broad, bold set of efforts to counter campus antisemitism — and this action further illustrates that resolve by holding alleged perpetrators responsible for their actions,” the ADL said after Mahmoud Khalil was detained in March.
With News Wire Services
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