US Jewish leader, Israel advocate Abe Foxman dies at 86
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- Abraham “Abe” Foxman, a prominent Jewish American leader and longtime head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), has died at age 86, with the ADL praising him as a passionate advocate for Jews and Israel.
- A Holocaust survivor, Foxman led the ADL from 1987 to 2015, transforming it into a powerful anti-hate advocacy group, though it has faced criticism from Palestinian rights activists for conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.
- Foxman was a staunch defender of Israel, supporting its actions during the Gaza conflict and backing the US-Israel war on Iran shortly before his death, while warning against rising anti-Semitism across the US political spectrum.
- He expressed concern about declining American support for Israel and criticized media coverage he perceived as biased against Israel, including canceling his New York Times subscription in 2021 over its portrayal of Palestinian casualties.
- Tributes from Israeli leaders, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and President Isaac Herzog, hailed Foxman as a legendary, passionate Zionist and a tireless defender of the Jewish people and Israel.
