“The purpose of AIPAC’s interventions in electoral politics is to defeat any critics of Israeli Government policy and to support candidates who vow unwavering loyalty to Israel”.
Prominent Jewish Americans from diverse backgrounds have come together to voice opposition to the pro-Israel lobby group, AIPAC, and its influence on the upcoming primary elections in the United States.
In a statement released this week, the group calling itself Jewish Americans Opposing AIPAC said, “we’ve agreed to come together to highlight and oppose the unprecedented and damaging role of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and allied groups in U.S. elections, especially within Democratic Party primaries.”
AIPAC is one of Washington’s most powerful pro-Israel lobby groups that is expected to spend over $100 million in the 2024 campaign.
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The group said it recognized “the purpose of AIPAC’s interventions in electoral politics is to defeat any critics of Israeli Government policy and to support candidates who vow unwavering loyalty to Israel, thereby ensuring the United States’ continuing support for all that Israel does, regardless of its violence and illegality.”
‘Isolated Internationally’
“Given that Israel is so isolated internationally that it could not continue its inhumane treatment of the Palestinians without US political and military support,” said the statement, “AIPAC is an essential link in the chain that holds in place the unbearable tragedy of Israel/Palestine. In the coming US elections, we need to break that chain in order to help free the people of Israel/Palestine to pursue peaceful coexistence.”
The statement highlighted that in the 2021-22 election cycle AIPAC endorsed Republican extremists and dozens of Congress members who’d voted against certifying Biden’s victory over Trump. In addition, it said, the AIPAC raised millions from Trump donors and spent the money inside Democratic primaries against progressives, mostly candidates of color.
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This time, “AIPAC is now vowing to spend even more millions in the 2024 Democratic primaries, targeting specific Democrats in Congress – initially all legislators of color – who’ve advocated for a Gaza ceasefire, a position supported by the vast majority of Democratic voters.”
AIPAC’s election spending “increasingly works to defeat candidates who criticize the racist policies of Israel.”
Human and Civil Rights
“In contrast to AIPAC, we are American Jews who believe that US support for foreign governments should only be extended to those that respect the full human and civil rights, and right to self-determination, of all people,” the statement said.
The group said it opposed “all forms of racism and bigotry, including antisemitism – and we support the historic alliance in our country of Jewish Americans with African Americans and other people of color in the cause of civil rights and equal justice.”
It added, “Therefore, we strongly oppose AIPAC’s attempts to dominate Democratic primary elections.”
The group urged “Democratic candidates to not accept AIPAC network funding, and demand that the Democratic leadership not allow Republican funders to use that network to deform Democratic primary elections.”
The statement is endorsed by more than 100 signatories including civil rights lawyer, Alan Levine; media critic Jeff Cohen; Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jeff Gottlieb; Jewish Voice for Peace Action’s Lesley Williams; academics Aviva Chomsky, Judith Butler, and Samuel Moyn; Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream; legal scholar Marjorie Cohn; filmmakers James Schamus and Robert Greenwald; actors Morgan Spector and Wallace Shawn; and various artists.
Intense Challenges
Last week, the New York Times reported that AIPAC is facing intense challenges “as it seeks to maintain bipartisan support for Israel” amid the genocidal war on Gaza.
In fact, according to the report, Israel “alienates some Democrats with its increasingly aggressive political tactics”.
The lobby group held an event recently that was addressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu via a video link.
Netanyahu thanked AIPAC “on behalf of the united people of Israel”, stating “I want to say Thank you, AIPAC. Thank you for everything you are doing for Israel. God bless Israel, God Bless America.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
AIPAC is also targeting conservative Republican congressman Thomas Massie.
Will “Jewish Americans Opposing AIPAC” come to the support of Massie?
Yes, our citizens are allowing AIPAC to control our country.