Wikipedia Bias
TownhallDec 24, 2021
Wikipedia Deems ADL Unreliable on Israel-Palestine Conflict
Image copyright:Â Ari Perilstein/Contributor/Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
The Facts
Wikipedia's volunteer editors have voted to label the Jewish non-profit Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as a "generally unreliable" source for the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The label means Wikipedia would not typically allow the ADL to be referenced in its articles regarding the Gaza conflict. The editors are also considering a vote on whether to label it as an unreliable source regarding antisemitism.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
The ADL, whose statistics not even the editors could show are inaccurate, relies on its credibility. This vote was taken due to a handful of statements made by Jonathan Greenblatt and subjective arguments about how pro-Palestine protesters should be labeled. While these topics can certainly be debated, the longest-serving defender of Jewish rights shouldn't be banned from Wikipedia over them.
Pro-Palestine narrative
The US government and corporate media have long protected the ADL, but since the Oct. 7 attack, ADL leadership has dangerously conflated criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Even before Oct. 7, it was known to attack Palestinian-focused groups. Given its recent bad-faith assertions targeting Palestinian groups, scholars, students, and anti-war Jewish groups, Wikipedia has made the correct choice.