Former ADL leader Abe Foxman dies at 86

Abraham “Abe” Foxman, prominent American Jewish leader and forceful defender of Israel, has died at 86. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which he led for 28 years, confirmed the news Sunday (May 10), calling him an 'outspoken, passionate and tireless advocate for the Jewish people and Israel.'

A Holocaust survivor, Foxman helped shape U.S. discourse on Israel and antisemitism for decades.

ADL board chair Nicole Munchnik said Foxman helped build 'modern America's liberal era,' describing him as a 'longtime advisor' to U.S. presidents and world leaders. 'To those who knew him, Abe was a warm friend, a mentor, a passionate debater and a warm hugger – all in the space of a lunch,' she said.

Foxman joined ADL in 1965 and served as national director from 1987 to 2015. Under his leadership the self-described hate watchdog became one of the most influential advocacy groups in the United States.

But Palestinian rights advocates have long condemned ADL, accusing it of smearing pro-Palestinian activists and conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Since the genocidal war in Gaza began, ADL under successor Jonathan Greenblatt has intensified campaigns against Israel critics. Greenblatt, who supports penalizing those who boycott Israel, last year compared the Palestinian keffiyeh to a Nazi swastika.

Foxman himself remained a steadfast supporter of Israel, defending its actions in the Gaza war. On X in July 2025, as Israel imposed a hunger crisis on Gaza, he posted: 'What is happening in Gaza is tragic. But it is not genocide. And it is not illegal. War is hell, inhuman, destructive and ugly. And states must take every measure to avoid harming civilians. And Israel has and is doing so.'

Weeks before his death, Foxman backed the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, thanking President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for attacking the country. 'Thank you President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu for standing up to evil and jihadist extremism. Hope the world becomes a better and safer place going forward,' he wrote on social media on Feb. 28 after the war erupted.

In March 2025, Foxman warned of rising antisemitism on both the right and left in the U.S., criticizing liberal politicians for publicly distancing themselves from AIPAC. 'If a politician does not want to take AIPAC money, don’t take AIPAC money, but don’t make taking AIPAC money a litmus test – because that continues to reinforce the conspiracy theory that there is a Jewish lobby controlling America,' he told the Jewish Standard.

Last year, Foxman sounded the alarm about waning support for Israel in America. 'We are in a propaganda war and to some extent we are losing that propaganda war and I worry about losing America,' he told the Times of Israel.

Human rights advocates often pointed to the absence of Palestinian perspectives on U.S. news shows. In 2021, Foxman canceled his subscription to the New York Times after the paper ran a front page featuring dozens of Palestinian children killed by Israel in Gaza. 'The blood libel today against Israel and Jews on the front page is enough,' he said at the time.

Tributes from Israel and the U.S. poured in Sunday. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was 'deeply saddened' by Foxman's death. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Foxman a 'legendary leader of the Jewish people' and 'a passionate Zionist, a humanist and a straightforward, wise friend.'