A lecture scheduled for Tuesday by ADL head Jonathan Greenblatt at the University of Hong Kong has been marked as “Cancelled.”
following a backlash
.

Greenblatt — who serves as the CEO of the ADL — was scheduled to
speak
on the “dangers of antisemitism and online hate speech” at the art faculty’s School of Modern Languages and Cultures. However, an online
petition
urging the university to rescind the invitation garnered over 1,000 signatures.

It remains uncertain whether the discussion is taking place in private sessions or through an online platform. Despite multiple attempts at inquiry, neither the faculty, the department, nor HKU have provided any responses to HKFP.

The petition alleged that Greenblatt — who previously served as a special assistant to ex-US President Barack Obama — equated opposition to Israel with white supremacy as a root cause of anti-Semitism, which has angered numerous grassroots activists and Jewish advocacy organizations opposed to Israeli policies.

In 2022, Greenblatt asserted that “anti-Zionism is antisemitism” during a discussion.
speech
To ADL leadership. Israeli philosopher Chaim Gans
describes
Zionism, aimed at establishing a Jewish state, has been described as “inherently an ethnic cultural nationalism.” Other academics
call
Zionism “is the colonization of Palestine.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry
said
Last week, it was reported that more than 50,000 people have died within the enclave since the recent clash with Israel started in 2023. Nevertheless, The Lancet medical journal has
said
The real number of deaths could be as much as 41% greater.

The most recent attack on the Palestinian region has occurred.
sparked
When the militant organization Hamas seized approximately 250 hostages and claimed over 1,139 lives on October 7, 2023.

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Headquartered in New York, the ADL has faced criticism for defending what appeared to be a Nazi salute performed by U.S. businessman Elon Musk at a political gathering in January.
calling
It was “a clumsy act born out of excitement.”

The petition additionally highlighted that the organization’s previous leader had criticized Greenblatt for not denouncing Donald Trump’s “disturbing display of antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, and sexism” during a campaign event as a presidential nominee back in October.

The petition stated that ‘[the ADL] has largely abandoned its traditional role in combating antisemitism in favor of advocating for Israel.’ Therefore, we firmly request HKU to revoke their invitation due to his divisive viewpoints, one-sided support for Israel, and hateful rhetoric.

Open letter

An open letter was additionally published on aHKU subreddit.
forum
Accuses Greenblatt of drawing parallels between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, as well as likening the Arab keffiyeh – a traditional headscarf worn in many Arab nations – to the Nazi swastika.

The ADL failed to reply to HKFP’s queries on Monday.

Greenblatt is scheduled to address attendees at the Ohel Leah Synagogue in Mid Levels on Wednesday evening during a ticketed gathering.
chat
However, the web page promoting the event was taken down by Tuesday, and calls to the synagogue remained unanswered.

Last year, the International Court of Justice — the main judicial organ of the United Nations — determined that Israel’s actions in Gaza might constitute genocide. However, Israel has rejected these allegations.

Last November, the United Nations-supported International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Chief Yoav Gallant, along with a previous Hamas military leader, on charges alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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