Pro-Israel US groups plan $100m effort to unseat progressives over Gaza

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Sat 20 Apr 2024 06.00 EDT


Pro-Israel groups are pumping millions into this year’s heated congressional races, singling out progressives who have voiced criticism of the Israeli government and its relentless campaign in Gaza. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) is betting that $100m will be enough to fight back a wave of progressive dissent over Israel’s war in Gaza this election cycle.

After investing heavily in the 2022 midterms, Aipac is now doubling down on its electoral efforts. Aipac and other pro-Israel groups, such as Democratic Majority for Israel, have already identified some high-profile targets in this year’s congressional elections – including the New York congressman Jamaal Bowman and the Missouri congresswoman Cori Bush.

Progressive leaders have made clear that they will not go down without a fierce fight, and outrage over the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, has rallied supporters to push back against pro-Israel lobbying groups. The unexpected strength of the “uncommitted” primary campaign in states like Michigan and Minnesota has underscored that Gaza is weighing heavily on the minds of progressive voters this election cycle, and their mobilization could complicate campaign efforts by groups like Aipac.

But combating $100m is no easy task, and progressives will need to use every possible resource to protect some of their most vulnerable candidates.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/20/pro-israel-groups-gaza-us-elections

[NoMoreRepugs]

1. Tribalism is firmly entrenched across all political spectrums these days.

[jaxexpat]

2. This is one very foreseeable misfortune for progressive candidates from a radically single-issue organization.

Do people in pro-Israel factions really think they can do better with a weakened Democratic caucus, or a GOP enthralled* of Trump Inc? >Question, when a benefactor relies on the good will of a political entity to maintain a supportable aspect, is it prudent to withhold the support in response to the dependent's bad behavior?
>Follow up, how stable is a dog being wagged by its tail?

*quick dictionary search found:
en·thrall
capture the fascinated attention of:
"she had been so enthralled by the adventure that she had hardly noticed the cold"
archaic
enslave.

...........and for that matter, there are legitimate reasons (historic, dramatic and cinematic) why the Democratic party has enjoyed support from Jewish organizations for around 85 years. Those fundamental elements have not changed.

[slightlv]

3. Since the Rs

Have brainwashed the public into believing that Democrat=Liberal, it's worse than "liberals" 'single issue' You can be sure all democrats from Prez on down will be tarred equally. I intuit this is going to become a huge problem for us, and I see no way out of it. These spenders have really insured the loss of democracy world wide for their single issue. It's too bad diplomacy is such a nasty word these days, because I firmly believe Biden is trying his best. It's not for nothing media from places other than just us is listing the new axis as trump, putin, Netanyahu. And yet we still allow Trump to receive high level dignitaries from other countries like he's already emperor, Logan act be darned. SMDH

[jaxexpat]

11. Yep, you outline a very serious problem. Unfortunately, the adults won't be consulted by these people.

They'll end up claiming these ancient problems as their own to solve in their own way. Nothing new under the sun, eh?

[TeamProg]

4. My opinion on the politics of Israel was beginning to set, these kind of actions solidifies

my suspicions.

Even more dangerous would be that the ads against progressives won’t be clear about the reasons for the ads. These ads could be very underhanded and dishonest by criticizing the progressives about something completely unrelated to their disgust with massacre in Gaza. Like maybe calling them “socialists”, while ironically, Israel gets more free money from the US than any other nation.

[SunSeeker]

6. My guess is they will be hit for pushing Dems to vote for "uncommitted" instead of Biden in the primary.

And for repeating Hamas propaganda, and calling our president "Genocide Joe," etc.

[TeamProg]

10. Sorry, but if you want us to believe that "And for repeating Hamas propaganda, and calling

Last edited Sat Apr 20, 2024, 09:25 PM - Edit history (1)

our president "Genocide Joe," etc" was said by them, you will have to cite sources with links. LEGITIMATE links.

[SunSeeker]

12. Here you go....

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/03/politics/tlaib-biden-palestinian-genocide/index.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/us/politics/tlaib-censure-house-israel-gaza.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67313555.amp#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17136663233727&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/24/politics/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-aoc-israel-gaza-genocide-cnntv/index.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/23/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-israel-gaza-campaign-unfolding-genocide

https://thehill.com/homenews/4366339-biden-takes-hits-from-democrats-on-multiple-fronts/

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4475121-tlaib-calls-for-michigan-residents-to-vote-uncommitted-in-upcoming-democratic-primary/

[TeamProg]

14. I scanned through every link except NYT due to paywall

(I subscribe to WaPo and give to others)

I did not find within your posted links any reference to the progressives in congress calling Biden “Genocide Joe” as you declared. Don’t try editing it out now.

There WAS a group of protesters in The Hill piece:

“As a result, protests have followed Biden across the U.S. by demonstrators calling for a cease-fire, something the administration, in agreeing with Israel, says would only allow Hamas to regroup and rearm. Chants that have followed Biden include calling him “genocide Joe.”””

Those are not members of Congress.
So they would not be ‘getting hit for… calling Biden “Genocide Joe”. It’s insane to think any Dem member of Congress would pair those words.

Yeah, so basically, you misrepresented the facts. Or in other words, an untruth. Maybe you can find a stronger argument based on the truth?

[SunSeeker]

15. Democratic Rep. Tlaib accused Biden of supporting Palestinian "genocide."

The exact headline is: "Democratic Rep. Tlaib accuses Biden of supporting Palestinian ‘genocide’ and warns of political ramifications" https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/03/politics/tlaib-biden-palestinian-genocide/index.html She was calling Biden pro-genocide, like the crowds she encouraged to vote "uncommitted" in the primary and who called him "Genocide Joe." Saying Biden supported genocide is the same as calling him Genocide Joe and affirms that false moniker.

As far as the NYTimes article, here's a Vox article on the same event, namely the censure of Tlaib for her "river to the sea" language:

The censure resolution, introduced by Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), accuses Tlaib of “promoting false narratives” about Hamas’s brutal October 7 attack on Israel and “calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.” One of the flashpoints was a slogan used in a video she shared on social media — calling for freedom “from the river to the sea” — which critics say calls for the abolition of Israel as a Jewish state...

https://www.vox.com/politics/2023/11/9/23953902/rashida-tlaib-censure-palestine-statement

Here's AOC refusing to disagree with the "Genocide Joe" moniker:
https://youtube.com/shorts/rJ0LhHpm9ZE?si=rYejbohv00-Wabk0

[TeamProg]

17. You're still coming up short of your earlier pronouncement and can no longer

be considered credible.

Classic example of moving the goalposts.

[TeamProg]

18. History will NOT be kind.

[SunSeeker]

20. Tlaib and AOC aren't Republicans. Stooping "SO LOW" is saying Biden supports genocide.

But you're right about one thing, history will not be kind. Nor will the consequences of the Biden bashing be kind, if it ends up electing Trump.

[TeamProg]

21. So, you don't even know what you posted? You posted a GOP'ster's rant against Dems b/c obviously you agree with:

"""

The censure resolution, introduced by Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), accuses Tlaib of “promoting false narratives” about Hamas’s brutal October 7 attack on Israel and “calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.” One of the flashpoints was a slogan used in a video she shared on social media — calling for freedom “from the river to the sea” — which critics say calls for the abolition of Israel as a Jewish state...

"""



You had your chance to speak the truth and correct the lies, give it a rest.

[SunSeeker]

24. No, you don't know what I posted. That quote was Vox's description of the Tlaib censure, not a "rant."

You don't like Vox? Google "Tlaib censure," you’ll get plenty of similar decriptions of the bipartisan censure of Tlaib from other mainstream reputable news outlets. Better yet, read the text of the actual House Resolution, which both Democrats and Republicans voted for and passed:

Whereas Representative Rashida Tlaib, within 24 hours of the October 7 barbaric attack on Jewish citizens of the State of Israel, representing the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, defended the brutal rapes, murders, be-headings, and kidnapping—including of Americans—by Hamas as justified “resistance” to the “apartheid state”;

Whereas Representative Tlaib’s October 8 statement claimed that Hamas’ October 7 attack on the Jewish people was partly attributable to United States security aid provided to Israel, which ignores the fact that the Iron Dome, a co-developed air defense system, saved lives that day by intercepting rockets launched from the Gaza Strip against Israeli civilian targets;

Whereas, on October 18, 2023, Representative Tlaib continued to knowingly spread the false narrative that Israel intentionally bombed the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital on October 17 after United States intelligence, Israeli intelligence, and President Biden assessed with high confidence that Israel did not cause the explosion;

Whereas, on November 3, 2023, Representative Tlaib published on social media a video containing the phrase “from the river to the sea”, which is widely recognized as a genocidal call to violence to destroy the state of Israel and its people to replace it with a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea;

Whereas Representative Tlaib doubled down on this call to violence by falsely describing “from the river to the sea” as “an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence” despite it clearly entailing Israel’s destruction and denial of its fundamental right to exist; and

Whereas Representative Tlaib has repeatedly displayed conduct entirely unbecoming of a Member of the House of Representatives by calling for the destruction of the state of Israel and dangerously promoting false narratives regarding a brutal, large-scale terrorist attack against civilian targets inside the sovereign territory of a major non-NATO ally while hundreds of Israeli and American hostages remain in terrorist captivity: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That Representative Rashida Tlaib be censured.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/845/text

[AZSkiffyGeek]

30. Just keep walking

They’ll go back under their bridge soon enough…

[Happy Hoosier]

23. Here's a progressive site using it in the headlines....

https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/genocide-joe-change-course

I'm deeply disturbed by so-called progressives embracing positions of long-stading Antisemites. I won't say these Progressives are Anti-semnites themsevles, rather I think they are falling for a false-narrative.

Note that I am NOT excusing the wrongs Israel has committed, especially under Likud rule, but I think it's no mistake that the world falls so easily into a narrative where the Jews are evil and repsonsible for all the wrongs on the world. I'd expect Progressives to be more aware of the history of oppression than that.

[SunSeeker]

13. BTW who is this "us" you claim to speak for?

Or were you using the royal "us"?

[Happy Hoosier]

22. Have you been paying attention? Michigan? NT

[Autumn]

5. Palestinians are not happy watching family and friends being slaughtered and starved and decide

to not support Democrats in office and that generates a shit storm on those people. Israel decide to not support Democrats in office and that's just dandy and fine with Israel's supporters. No fucks given. That sure is eye opening. It tells me all I need to know about those people.

[SunSeeker]

7. This is about US Democrats not supporting their Democratic President's policies. nt

[ananda]

8. Republicans will only make it much worse for them.

People can be so blind.

[Autumn]

9. No shit. Biden loses we are fucked. Trump wins Israel will be fine, trump will encourage them

to be as vicious as they can.

[LudwigPastorius]

16. I wonder why AIPAC doesn't just embrace the GOP.

[SunSeeker]

25. Because actual Nazis are members of the GOP?

[OAITW r.2.0]

26. They ought to spend the $100MM on getting Bibi booted from the Israeli government.

[Faux pas]

27. DISGUSTING

[Chainfire]

28. If Israel want to make a pact with Trump, so be it.

Lets see how long it takes for it to bite the in the ass.

[elleng]

29. Just what repugs want,

hoping for 'perfection' in an imperfect world.

Let my people GO!