AIPAC

[BonnieJW]

As a Jew, I have become increasingly distressed by AIPAC and by DU's reaction to AIPAC. I congratulate all DU members in their ability to separate anger at AIPAC from anger at Jews and Israel. I have never experienced any kind of anti-semitism on these boards.

I do not agree with any part of the AIPAC philosophy and none of my family or Jewish friends share their agenda either. A Jewish friend of mine found this site and sent it to me. It is with great relief that I share it with all of you. Please take a few moments to read this article. Here is the link:

http://ameinu.net/perspectives/current_issues.php?articleid=159

Here are the first few paragraphs:

AIPAC Hijack: With Friends Like These…


By Gidon D. Remba

AIPAC has long portrayed itself as 'the pro-Israel lobby' representing the entire pro-Israel American Jewish community. As the primary pro-Israel voice in Washington, AIPAC should reflect what is common to all who support Israel, a nonpartisan consensus between Zionists of the left, right and center. But AIPAC has been hijacked by the neocons and the radical right. It no longer represents the majority of American Jews, who are overwhelmingly liberal, centrist on foreign policy and vote Democratic. Pro-Israel Jews need an alternative, a new vehicle for voicing their moderate, pragmatic views on Israel to elected officials in Washington.



I ventured to Washington last week to attend, for the first time in my life, AIPAC’s vaunted national policy conference, a 3-day political pageant which drew some 6,000 people this year, culminating in a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill. I had the privilege of attending not only as one of the throng of Israel supporters who flocked to DC, but as the official representative of a major Jewish organization. I am now the national executive director of Ameinu: Liberal Values, Progressive Israel, the organization which represents Labor Zionism in America, the leading progressive Zionist voice in the American Jewish community.



In this new role, I am one of 50-odd delegates of major Jewish organizations who sit on AIPAC’s Executive Committee. In reality, AIPAC stacks the deck by including in the Committee many more AIPAC leaders and activists than heads of major Jewish groups, thereby insuring that no decision will be taken which flouts the wishes of its hard-line big donors. The AIPAC conference opened with a meeting of the Executive Committee devoted to approving AIPAC’s “action agenda” for 2007. Three days later, a citizens’ army, mostly American Jews, marched on Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress, armed with talking points emanating from the order of battle we had approved—over my dissenting vote, and the objections of others.

[LeftishBrit]

1. Very interesting!

I came across Ameinu quite recently and it looks like a very good organization.

[Burma Jones]

2. Thank You

This is a great read. We have to oppose religious fanatics everywhere.

[Jcrowley]

3. Excellent article

Thanks.

[bonito]

4. Thanks for posting this

Another good site as well.http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

[BonnieJW]

6. Thanks Bonito!

[Nikki Stone1]

5. Thanks for this.

A lot of anger and flaming occurrs whenever AIPAC is brought up. Being against AIPAC has been conflated with being against Israel which is then conflated with being anti-Semitic. The right does this very well: if you question AIPAC you are a bigot. The sad thing is that many here on DU feel the same way.

AIPAC is one of many vehicles though which foreign governments try to buy influence in the US. I'd like to see how China manages to peddle its influence as well. The problem with these organizations is that they usually represent a very limited set of interests, even in their own countries.

[bonito]

7. There is a group on to them

http://www.stopaipac.org/spystory.htm

[Tom Joad]

15. yeah, check out Bolton's chat with aipac, saying he wanted Iran to kick out weapons inspectors

so there could be a counter-reaction. at same site
http://www.stopaipac.org/boltontape.htm

[LeftishBrit]

10. I don't think people are generally accused of anti-semitism on DU if they criticize AIPAC

Maybe it's happened; but I've never seen it. Of course, I don't spend much time on the I/P forum - maybe it's happened there.

What does lead to charges of anti-semitism or at least of prejudice is when people imply that many Jewish citizens or politicians have divided loyalty, or that international Jews are controlling the world or American policy in some sinister way. I don't think many on DU do this; but occasionally such suggestions have been made, or links have been made to sites that suggest such things. And that is what raises concerns - not criticism of Israel or AIPAC as such.

I am strongly opposed to the policies and actions of the current Israeli government (and suspect that Bush is influencing it far more than the other way round); and am opposed to the policies of AIPAC as I understand them to be. However, as you just pointed out, there are many, many countries and lobbies with which one might not agree; and Israel and AIPAC should not be singled out for special suspicion, any more than they should be singled out for special immunity to criticism. I would tentatively suggest that it might be desirable to tighten rules on ALL lobbies, especially those that involve other countries. These types of lobbies don't seem to have this sort of influence in the UK or elsewhere.

To get back to the OP, I think it was a great post; and I think that giving active support to Ameinu and similar organizations is a very constructive way of dealing with the situation.

[Nikki Stone1]

18. I've seen a number of posts on DU accusing people of antisemitism when they

are really opposed to Israel or AIPAC. When I have some time, I'll hunt them down. Those threads tend to get locked eventually.

I agree that the paranoid view of American (or European) Jews that you laid out is exactly the problem with some of the debates over the Israeli (or more properly Likud) influence over American foreign policy. I do agree with you that Bush is probably doing more influencing than the other way around. I also have been worried by the increasing number of anti-Semitic attacks in Europe. (There was a UN report on this a couple of years ago) Some of these are being done (allegedly) to "get back at Israel" for the situation with Palestine, as if European Jews as a group had any direct connection to what the Israeli government is doing. I am worried that countries like Egypt are airing programs on the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and feeding this vile garbage to the masses to deflect from their own economic and moral shortcomings. Scapegoating the Jews seems to be a default position in a lot of areas, and it scares me that this often goes unchecked.

AIPAC's perceived power plays into this situation. That's why I liked the article linked in the OP. Additionally, AIPAC has to be put in context with other nations' lobbying efforts: the Saudi Royal family and their connection to 9/11 needs to be broadcast from the hilltops (as well as their influence on Bush, Cheney and this war). China somehow managed to get satellite technology in the 90s that they had no business having as it compromised our national security. And Dubai warrants lots of serious second looks as well, along with Pakistan and many others.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

19. Why Dubai? n/t

[leftchick]

8. thank you for this Major Reality Check on AIPAC

too many americans make sweeping judgments about Israel and Aipac, assuming they are in lock step. Just like here in the states there are many progressives and liberals that disagree vehemently with The hard right likudniks in Aipac. Thank you for posting this and the link.

peace,
lc

[mmonk]

9. AIPAC and the ATC have more control over American foreign policy

than average citizens do.

[LeftishBrit]

11. What is ATC?

To me, it means the (British) Air Training Corps! I assume that's not what you mean?

[Tom Joad]

13. Appalachian Trail Conservancy?

[mmonk]

17. Ha!

No, the American Turkish Council.

[mmonk]

16. This

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Turkish_Council

[Tom Joad]

12. I call their conference last week "AIPAC gone wild" Truly crazy stuff.

Starting with Rev Hagee (Rev. Strangelove, wants a showdown in the Middle East so jesus will come back), Olmert telling aipac to support the Iraq occupation, and then ending with booing Nancy Pelosi because she is supporting an end to the occupation of Iraq is not moderate. It does not represent the majority of American people, and most especially does not represent, in most ways, the viewpoint of most American Jews.

I think this is part of a PR disaster for aipac, and for Israel. And we have only begun to see the fallout.

[Jacobin]

14. Thank you for that.

Much like the neo-cons have hijacked the U.S. it appears that Likud has hijacked Israel, much to the chagrin of a majority of Israelis.

I'm hoping fervently that the majority in both nations can wrest control of both governments from these people before more damage is done to the world.

[TheBaldyMan]

20. I'd heard of aimenu.net before, it came as a relief to me as well

I share Mr. Remba's concerns. I think that liberal Israelis need their voices heard, now more than ever.

[eridani]

21. AIPAC just *loves* "Christians" who want to kill all Jews--

--except for the 144,000 that will get converted to Christianity. Not much smarter than the US support for Islamic fundies in the 80s.

[Vidar]

22. Thanks for the excellent article, as well as your courage & integrity.