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ADL: White‑supremacist and extremist groups are repurposing anti‑Zionist language to broaden audiences
Summary
The ADL Center on Extremism told the Special Commission on Antisemitism that extremist groups increasingly adopt anti‑Zionist language and online propaganda to recruit and raise funds, complicating efforts to track antisemitic incidents.
At a meeting of the Special Commission on Antisemitism, Ben Pott of the Anti‑Defamation League’s Center on Extremism described a national rise in extremist propaganda and said some white‑supremacist groups have begun using anti‑Zionist language to reach wider audiences.
Pott told commissioners that after October 7 some groups began “adopting anti‑Zionist language as part of their rhetoric” and that, in some cases, extremists substitute the word “Zionist” for “Jew” in order to draw in people who would otherwise not identify as antisemitic. He said that different groups use different recruitment strategies — from physical training and “white warrior” aesthetics to short, viral online clips — and that streaming income has become a revenue source for some groups.
The ADL representative described the organization’s tracking tools, including an incidents database and an “A on Display” resource used by law enforcement and others to monitor extremist activity and antisemitic incidents. Commissioners asked how incidents categorized as “Israel or Zionist related” in the ADL’s 2024 audit relate to activity by both right‑ and left‑wing extremists. Pott said he is “slightly less educated” on left‑wing extremist networks but said his team observed white‑supremacist groups amplifying anti‑Zionist themes to insert themselves into current events and propaganda streams.
Commissioners also asked about countermeasures. Pott said the ADL works directly with social media companies to flag content and remove accounts but described the effort as a “whack‑a‑mole” problem, with copies reappearing on other platforms. He said third‑party deradicalization speakers — former extremists who speak publicly about leaving violent movements — can be valuable adjuncts to prevention efforts, especially for younger people engaging with extremist material online.
Commissioners thanked the ADL for the presentation and said they would continue to coordinate with law enforcement and community organizations. The commission’s agenda moved next to presentations on hate‑crime law and security funding.
