Anti-Defamation League Director Criticizes MSNBC Coverage of Attacks on Israel While On Network

Amid the flurry of breaking news coverage of the attacks on Israel, Jonathan Greenblatt, national director and CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, appeared on MSNBC to critique the way the network, as well as some others in media, have depicted the conflict. 

Appearing on Morning Joe on Monday, Greenblatt — a frequent guest on cable news who heads the organization fighting against antisemitism across the world — spoke out against the way the show was describing the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the attacks as “an escalation” of a geopolitical conflict.

“While I am sad and cope trying to cope, I’ll be honest, I am angry. I am angry with the world that allowed the dehumanization of Israelis and sanitized the terrorism of Hamas. I must say, I love this show. And I love this network. But I’ve got to ask who is writing the scripts? Hamas? The people who did this? They are not fighters, Jonathan. They are not militants, and I’m looking right at the camera. They are terrorists,” Greenblatt said, speaking to host Jonathan Lemire.

“When we say, ‘Oh, this was an escalation. It was bound to happen.’ I am sorry. This was a massacre that was pre-planned. This was not destined to happen. It is not normal to shoot teenagers in the back, hundreds of them. So I just think, like guys get the story right,” he continued.

Greenblatt went on to describe some of the reports the organization has received, some of which appear to have been captured on social media, of women being raped by members of Hamas, children being killed in front of their parents and homes being burned with elderly residents still inside. He then asked why the network has not depicted these stories and questioned the way the network was describing Israel’s response to the attack.

“And all these pictures of missiles or the rubble in Gaza. Please talk to the Israeli mothers and fathers who lost their children, talk to the grandchildren whose grandparents were seized as hostages. And please stop calling this a retaliation. This is a defensive measure against an organization that is committed to one thing: killing Jews. Not a peaceful resolution of a conflict, but murdering Jews. And if you’re wondering if I’m exaggerating, please I beg of you, everyone watching and everyone at this network, just watch the footage,” Greenblatt said. 

Greenblatt also made appearances on MSNBC sibling network CNBC as well as rival CNN on Monday. MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Anti-Defamation League did not offer additional comment.

After Hamas launched surprise attacks in Israel on Saturday, Israel mounted a response and issued a formal declaration of war. More than 1,100 have been reported dead so far and thousands have been wounded on both sides on the conflict, according to the Associated Press’ tally at press time.