Abraham 'Abe' Foxman, a prominent Jewish American leader and staunch defender of Israel, has died at the age of 86. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the advocacy group he led for 28 years, confirmed his death on Sunday, describing him as an 'outspoken, passionate, and tireless advocate for the Jewish people and Israel'.

A Holocaust survivor, Foxman helped shape the conversation around Israel and anti-Semitism in the US for decades. ADL Board Chair Nicole Munchnik said Foxman helped build the 'modern liberal era of America', calling him a 'longtime adviser' to US presidents and world leaders.

Foxman joined the ADL in 1965 and served as the group's national director from 1987 to 2015. Under his leadership, the organization, which presents itself as an anti-hate watchdog, became one of the most influential advocacy groups in the country.

Palestinian rights advocates have long condemned the ADL, accusing it of demonizing pro-Palestine activists and conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. Since the start of the genocidal war on Gaza, the ADL under Foxman's successor Jonathan Greenblatt has intensified its campaign against Israel's critics.

Foxman remained a staunch supporter of Israel and defended its actions during the genocidal war on Gaza. In July 2025, he wrote on X: 'What is happening in Gaza is tragic. But it is not Genocide. And it is not illegal.'

Weeks before his death, Foxman backed the US-Israel war on Iran, thanking US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In March, he warned about the rise of anti-Semitism on both the right and left in the US.

Tributes poured in from Israel and the US on Sunday. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was 'deeply saddened' by Foxman's death, while Israeli President Isaac Herzog called him a 'legendary leader of the Jewish people'.

Source: www.aljazeera.com