The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is drawing criticism for launching a new initiative that critics say unfairly targets New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

The organization recently unveiled a website and tip line aimed at tracking what it sees as "antisemitic behavior" within Mamdani’s incoming administration.

The initiative follows a contentious mayoral campaign during which Mamdani’s opponents, including ADL chief executive Jonathan Greenblatt, repeatedly accused him of antisemitism, allegations he has firmly denied.

Growing discontent among Jewish advocacy groups

Founded in 1913 under the pretext of combating antisemitism and prejudice, the ADL has faced mounting controversy over what many see as its increasingly combative stance toward pro-Palestine activists.

Liberal Jewish advocacy group J Street described the new “Mamdani Monitor” as “alarming” and condemned a statement by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, which called Mamdani’s victory “a grim milestone.”

J Street noted that such scrutiny had not been directed toward US President Donald Trump, despite what it called his “long record of using antisemitism and bigotry for political gain.” The group urged Jewish organizations to “engage constructively with the mayor-elect, not sow panic or demonize him” and called on the ADL to “lead with consistency and integrity, not selective outrage.”

ADL defends the initiative

In response, Greenblatt claimed that the tracker was “not designed to criticize the mayor” but rather to provide “a data-driven approach that simply looks at the facts.” He maintained, “There is nothing inherently combative or critical about that.”

According to the ADL, the Mamdani Monitor is a “public-facing tracker monitoring policies, appointments and actions by the Mamdani administration that impact Jewish community safety and security.” The project will rely partly on submissions through a new tip line, encouraging New Yorkers to report “antisemitic incidents in the city, including on the streets, in schools, [and] in their workplace.”

Mamdani pushes back

Greenblatt rejected claims that the ADL applies a double standard to Mamdani and Trump, asserting that the group had criticized the president on multiple occasions.

He argued that Mamdani’s “unique record of hostility toward Israel” justified the initiative, saying, “The reality is President Trump wasn’t elected on a track record that included a long animus to the Jewish state.”

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At his first post-election press conference, Mamdani said he takes “the issue of antisemitism incredibly seriously.” He pledged to work with Jewish leaders across New York “to deliver the promise of not just protecting Jewish New Yorkers but celebrating and cherishing them.”

However, Mamdani also questioned the ADL’s intentions, saying, “I think anyone is free to catalog the actions of our administration."

“I have some doubts about Jonathan’s ability to do so honestly, given that he previously said I had not visited any synagogues, only to have to correct himself.”

Policy positions fuel tension

Mamdani has faced criticism from some Israeli lobbies over his support for Palestine, including his belief that the entity should exist as one that guarantees equal rights for all faiths. He has also accused "Israel" of committing genocide in Gaza, a claim echoed by a United Nations commission and several human rights groups.

Earlier in the campaign, Mamdani hesitated to denounce the activist slogan “globalize the intifada,” which many Israeli groups consider threatening. While he said he does not personally use the phrase, he later stated that he would discourage its use by others.

During his victory speech, Mamdani told supporters, “We will build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism.” The following day, he condemned antisemitic graffiti found at a Brooklyn Jewish school, calling it “a disgusting and heartbreaking act of antisemitism” that “has no place in our beautiful city.”

ADL’s broader controversies

In recent years, the ADL has been criticized for appearing to adopt a softer tone toward the far right while taking a tougher approach to pro-Palestine activists. Earlier this year, the group defended Elon Musk after he was accused of making a Nazi salute during a rally celebrating President Trump’s inauguration, describing it as “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm.”

The ADL also initially praised the Trump administration’s arrests and deportations of pro-Palestine student activists, a stance it later walked back following public backlash.

Despite these efforts, the organization has faced growing hostility from conservatives. After the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk, whose group Turning Point USA appeared in an ADL database of extremist organizations, the ADL announced that it would “retire” the database “effective immediately".

Media tensions and calls for dialogue

The new monitoring effort became a flashpoint during a heated exchange on MSNBC between Greenblatt and host Joe Scarborough. Scarborough accused Greenblatt of implying that Mamdani had failed to condemn antisemitic violence, a claim Greenblatt denied making.

“There’s a lot of blurring and blending here, Jonathan,” Scarborough said. “And, you know, I love you and you’re on all the time. And we’re always a fierce defender of yours. But you seem to be like, blurring a lot of things together.”

Scarborough suggested that the ADL could take a more constructive approach: “How about you calling his team? Mamdani’s team? Or how about talking to people who may know him and you? Maybe you guys can get together and have lunch and talk. Isn’t that a more constructive thing to do?”

“Let’s see if that happens,” Greenblatt replied. “That would be great. Look, I am willing to have conversations, hard conversations, because my job is to keep the community safe.”

Wider context

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has increasingly exploited the label of “antisemite” as a political weapon to target and silence pro-Palestine activists and critics of the atrocities committed by the IOF in Gaza.

By branding legitimate criticism of Israeli policies as antisemitic, the organization shifts attention away from the human rights abuses and systemic injustices faced by Palestinians, while portraying dissent as morally or socially unacceptable.

This approach not only reveals a deep hypocrisy within the ADL and similar tribal organizations but also serves to normalize and protect "Israel’s" occupation and discriminatory practices.

Instead of fostering dialogue or combating real prejudice, the tactic functions as a tool of intimidation, stifling activism and discouraging advocacy for Palestinian rights. In effect, the misuse of antisemitism accusations has become a mechanism for suppressing criticism of Israeli schemes under the guise of defending Jewish communities globally.