House Committee Report Accuses APA of Fostering Antisemitism

A House of Representatives committee accused the American Psychological Association of perpetuating antisemitism through “resolutions, listservs, newsletters, publications, and conferences” in a report released Thursday.

“Over several years, radical activist-academics have successfully co-opted the APA to politicize the association and promote ideology that demonizes Israel, minimizes Hamas terrorism, and portrays Jews as white oppressors,” says the roughly 20-page report from Republican staff on the House Education and Workforce Committee. “Meanwhile, APA leaders have repeatedly failed to confront antisemitism within their own organization.”

Committee chair and Michigan Republican Tim Walberg launched an investigation of the APA in December. In a news release Thursday, he said that “for an organization dedicated to understanding human behavior, the APA has done a remarkable job of ignoring prejudice within its own ranks. Its leaders have allowed antisemitism to fester and radical activists to turn a respected scientific institution into a platform for political agendas.”

The report criticizes actions by APA leaders and members who allegedly downplayed the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, noting that the APA’s statement about the attack did not use the word “terrorism.” (The statement did say, though, that APA “has condemned in no uncertain terms the recent violent attack by Hamas on Israel.”) The report argues that “APA leaders have repeatedly avoided unequivocally condemning the horrors of October 7th and antisemitism.” It also alleges some APA members resisted creating an ethnic psychological association for Jews because they said Jewish people have “white privilege.”

But the report also criticizes APA officials and members for their criticism of Zionism and Israel. Its critiques are sometimes granular, including about individual conference panels.

The publication comes about a month after an Education Department accreditation committee recommended suspending federal recognition of the APA’s accreditation arm over alleged failures to address antisemitism. Among the issues raised by members of that ED committee were the APA’s support of “decolonial therapy”—something the House report also criticizes.

The APA has also been targeted by the conservative group Accuracy in Media and writers from conservative think tanks for supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and allegedly fostering antisemitism.

The APA didn’t respond to requests for comment Thursday.