Washington, DC – Outstanding progressive organisations in the US are becoming a member of collectively to push again in opposition to the political and electoral affect of the nation’s strongest pro-Israel foyer group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Greater than 20 advocacy teams launched on Monday a proper coalition dubbed “Reject AIPAC” to organise in opposition to what they referred to as AIPAC’s marketing campaign to silence the “growing dissent in Congress” in opposition to Israel’s struggle on Gaza.
The newly fashioned coalition cited experiences that AIPAC is readying a $100m offensive by means of its electoral arms – AIPAC PAC and the United Democracy Undertaking (UDP) – to tackle a handful of progressives in Congress who referred to as for a ceasefire in Gaza early within the struggle.
“Rejecting AIPAC is a crucial step in putting voters back at the center of our democracy,” the coalition stated in a press release.
Whereas particular person candidates and organisations have beforehand criticised AIPAC’s involvement in US election campaigns, the coalition marks a collective and targeted effort in opposition to the pro-Israel group.
Reject AIPAC contains mainstream left-wing teams, comparable to Justice Democrats and the Working Households Get together, in addition to organisations targeted on Palestinian rights, together with the US Marketing campaign for Palestinian Rights Motion, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Motion and the IfNotNow Motion.
Beth Miller, political director at JVP Motion, stated the present of unity by progressive teams is “incredibly significant”.
She added that the coalition represents “a unified response” by the US political left “to the threat that AIPAC poses both to the work that progressive groups are building here at home and to Palestinian lives in Palestine”.
The coalition’s technique
AIPAC, which is formally non-partisan, advocates unconditional US help for Israel and pushes again in opposition to any criticism of Israeli governments and their human rights file. The group’s uncompromising advocacy for Israel has additionally persevered unabashedly as Israeli politics tilted additional to the proper, with the present authorities waging the struggle on Gaza usually described as essentially the most far-right cupboard in Israeli historical past.
Within the US, progressives say AIPAC’s concentrating on of left-wing candidates usually advances right-wing priorities at dwelling.
The anti-AIPAC coalition’s technique, as outlined by its launch assertion, is to again progressives focused by AIPAC with an advert marketing campaign, foyer in opposition to the group’s agenda in Congress and name on Democrats to surrender it.
And so, Reject AIPAC is urging politicians to signal a pledge in opposition to AIPAC help.
“For decades, [AIPAC] has been a hawkish, warmongering, and bullying force in US politics,” the pledge reads.
“AIPAC advocates for a US foreign policy directly at odds with human rights and international humanitarian law, and has supported an unconditional flow of US military funding and weapons to the Israeli government that have been used to support human rights violations against Palestinians.”
Lengthy referred to as probably the most highly effective particular curiosity teams in Washington, AIPAC had formally stayed out of direct electioneering till 2022, when it fashioned a political motion committee and an accompanying so-called “super PAC” to thwart the election of Israel critics.
AIPAC PAC and UDP targeted on Democratic primaries in liberal-leaning congressional districts, the place progressives usually tend to succeed.
They poured hundreds of thousands of {dollars} into races throughout the nation, blanketing the airwaves with assaults in opposition to candidates important of Israel, usually specializing in points that don’t have anything to do with international coverage – a tactic that the group’s opponents describe as dishonest.
AIPAC didn’t return Al Jazeera’s request for remark by the point of publication.
‘Right-wing influence’
Whereas AIPAC largely targeted on open seats within the final election cycle, it now seems to be gearing as much as goal incumbents, with key progressives within the Home of Representatives in its crosshairs.
Progressives have been decrying the brute power of AIPAC’s election spending, which is partly fuelled by right-wing donors who’ve backed former President Donald Trump and different conservatives.
The professional-Israel foyer organisation has additionally endorsed dozens of Republicans in Congress, together with many who refused to certify President Joe Biden’s election victory in 2020.
Usamah Andrabi, spokesperson for Justice Democrats, stated many teams within the coalition have already been working in opposition to AIPAC and its “right-wing influence in Congress”.
“We wanted to come together to not only be more organised but to organise the Democratic Party, its voters and elected officials to once and for all reject the disruptive influence of the Republican mega donor-backed AIPAC on the Democratic primary process and our government’s policy towards Palestine and Israel,” Andrabi advised Al Jazeera.
For some time, progressive Democrats had been on the offensive electorally. In 2018, Justice Democrats-backed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, then 28 years outdated, defeated a prime Home Democrat who had been in workplace for practically 20 years, shaking the get together’s institution.
That very same yr, Muslim-American progressives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar had been additionally elected to Congress. So was Ayanna Pressley, finishing the so-called “Squad” of left-wing congresswomen.
Two years later, Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman additionally efficiently primaried highly effective incumbent Democrats, rising the progressive base in Congress.
Whereas targeted on home US points, like common healthcare and financial, racial and environmental justice, that new wave of left-wing politicians additionally noticed advocacy for Palestinian rights as a part of its mandate.
Each chambers of Congress have remained overwhelmingly pro-Israel, however the rise of vocal left-wing lawmakers appeared to have spurred AIPAC to alter observe in its strategy to elections.
‘David versus Goliath’
In 2022, AIPAC would spend hundreds of thousands on a single Home main race, tilting the scales in favour of its candidates. Nonetheless, the group suffered defeats that yr.
For instance, in Pennsylvania, candidate Summer season Lee gained in opposition to an enormous late-spending onslaught by AIPAC backing her opponent, and he or she has gone on to grow to be probably the most vocal supporters of Palestinian rights in Congress.
Reject AIPAC has stated it’ll launch a “seven-figure electoral defence campaign” to again candidates focused by AIPAC, however that will quantity to a fraction of AIPAC’s struggle chest, which is predicted to be 9 figures.
Andrabi says progressives won’t ever match AIPAC’s sources, however they’ll nonetheless win in opposition to the group.
“This has always been an unfair fight. This has always been a David versus Goliath fight,” he advised Al Jazeera. “But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth fighting. And that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to win. We’ve shown time and time again that we can take on AIPAC, and that we can beat them.”
Andrabi added that the Democratic base overwhelmingly aligns with progressive positions in help of a ceasefire in Gaza and conditioning help for Israel.
Miller, of JVP Motion, additionally stated that Reject AIPAC won’t be able to match AIPAC greenback for greenback.
“AIPAC is funded by Republican billionaires and mega-donors,” she advised Al Jazeera. “What we have on our side, though, is that what we are representing is what most American voters actually want.”
For too lengthy, AIPAC and its Republican megadonors have demanded our elected leaders unconditionally help the Israeli army and authorities – or else.
Sufficient. We’re becoming a member of over twenty progressive teams to demand the Dem Get together #RejectAIPAC
Be part of us: https://t.co/xd3ga5zzIr pic.twitter.com/ECzWrZp8I0
— Jewish Voice for Peace Motion (@JvpAction) March 11, 2024
However with Congress backing Israel on a bipartisan foundation as US-supplied bombs proceed to drop on Gaza amid starvation within the territory due to the Israeli blockade, some Palestinian rights advocates are rising disillusioned with the whole political system.
Andrabi stated that whereas apathy and frustration are comprehensible, advocates should use each device at their disposal to push again in opposition to AIPAC’s affect and defend the human rights of Palestinians.
“At a lot of times, it feels like all hope is lost, but in our mind, this is a project that is absolutely worth fighting for because if we don’t, their power only grows and continues to expand,” he stated.
Miller echoed his feedback. “We cannot afford to step back from this. Right now, the US government is directly funding and fuelling the genocide of Palestinians,” she stated. “We have to force demand and pressure change.”