Dictionary

Apartheid Defense League en · PROPN

Etymology

In reference to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)'s defense of Israeli apartheid. Attested since 1999, but grew in popularity in the 2020s, especially with the Gaza genocide (2023–).

Meanings

1. (derogatory, slang) The Anti-Defamation League.
   • [Frederick D.] Haynes praised [Linda] Sarsour as a paragon of “moral consistency” and justice, and applauded her characterization of the Anti-Defamation League as the “Apartheid Defense League.” 2026 January 29, Marc Rod, “Contender to succeed Jasmine Crockett blasted Israeli ‘apartheid’ in sermon on Oct. 8”, in Jewish Insider, archived from the original on 29 Jan 2026:
   • Meanwhile, in a statement posted to X, The Apartheid Defense League (ADL) praised the government action to curb antisemitism and hailed ICE agents' abduction of Columbia University student protester Mahmoud Khalil and the revocation of his green card by ICE over Columbia University protests[.] 2025 March 13, Mahmoud El-Yousseph, “Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil abducted by ICE over Columbia University protests”, in Free Press, archived from the original on 13 Mar 2025:
   • The ADL (aka “The Apartheid Defense League”), in fact, “has a long history of labelling Muslim community groups as ‘terrorist sympathisers’, doing whatever it can do to delegitimise them,” as well as funding [Steven] Emerson’s work. 2024, Saqib Iqbal Qureshi, Being Muslim today: reclaiming the faith form orthodoxy and islamophobia, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, →LCCN:
   • El-Kurd has referred to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as the “Apartheid Defense League” and likened the Israeli occupation of Palestine to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 2023 April 23, Wayne Coffey, “One Jew’s Journey”, in Princeton Alumni Weekly, archived from the original on 01 Jun 2023:
   • It is admirable Matthew that you are so concerned about the plight of Blacks in America, who, much as Jews themselves once were a long time ago, are still to this day victims of racism and oppression, but you are very, very wrong when you suggest that the neo-conservative "private" front for the intelligence community known as the A.D.L. (short I think for the Apartheid Defense League) shares your concern[.] 1999 March 11, John McCarthy, “To RLA re: racist Gov”, in talk.politics.mideast (Usenet), archived from the original on 16 Mar 2025, message-ID <27fIxnZeB-AJ>:

Forms

Relateds

Anti-Defecation League

wikipedia: Israeli apartheid · wikipedia: Anti-Defamation League · wikipedia: Gaza genocide