Jewish groups denounce RFK Jr.'s false remarks that Covid-19 was 'ethnically targeted' to spare Jews and Chinese people

A number of high-profile Jewish groups are denouncing Democratic presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s false remarks that "Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese" people are "most immune" to Covid-19.

Speaking at a dinner in New York City earlier this week, Kennedy said "there's an argument that it is ethnically targeted," according to video shared by the New York Post on Saturday.

"Covid-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese," Kennedy said, adding that "we don't know whether it's deliberately targeted that or not."

Ashkenazi Jews trace their roots to Central and Eastern Europe and represent a majority of the US Jewish population.

The American Jewish Committee told CNN in a statement Saturday that Kennedy's "assertion that Covid was genetically engineered to spare Jewish and Chinese people is deeply offensive and incredibly dangerous."

"Every aspect of his comments reflects some of the most abhorrent antisemitic conspiracy theories throughout history and contributes to today's dangerous rise of antisemitism," the organization said.

The Anti-Defamation League also criticized Kennedy's remarks, telling CNN that his claim "feeds into sinophobic and antisemitic conspiracy theories about Covid-19 that we have seen evolve over the last three years."