Summary:
- The influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on the Democratic Party and US politics as a whole is a topic of great concern.
- AIPAC spends millions of dollars on attack ads against Democratic candidates who do not support its agenda, which includes uncritical support for Israel and its occupation of Palestine.
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While AIPAC’s influence is undeniable, progressives need to build their own infrastructure to elect candidates who are committed to a progressive domestic and international agenda.
- The recent victory of progressive Summer Lee in Pennsylvania is a testament to how progressives can defeat AIPAC’s multimillion-dollar apparatus.
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It is time for progressives to take a bold stance against AIPAC’s influence and build their own infrastructure.
The influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on the Democratic Party and US politics as a whole is a topic of great concern. AIPAC spends millions of dollars on attack ads against Democratic candidates who do not support its agenda, which includes uncritical support for Israel and its occupation of Palestine. This has led many Democratic candidates to take ambiguous or excessively accommodating positions on Israel in order to avoid attack ads.
While AIPAC’s influence is undeniable, progressives need to build their own infrastructure to elect candidates who are committed to a progressive domestic and international agenda. The recent victory of progressive Summer Lee in Pennsylvania is a testament to how progressives can defeat AIPAC’s multimillion-dollar apparatus.
The recent Israeli violence against Palestinians and the Israeli government’s endorsement of a far more outspoken racist, anti-Palestinian posture has contributed to an upsurge in violence. The Biden administration has yet to indicate that it is considering making US military aid to Israel conditional in order to pressure it to de-escalate and stop its unlawful annexation of Palestinian land.
Although attitudes among Democrats and the American public towards Israel and Palestine are changing, only a small percentage of Democrats in Congress have endorsed legislation requiring Israel to stop expanding its settlements. The anti-Palestinian lobby, including AIPAC and its affiliated organizations, will continue to have a significant influence on US politics if progressives do not build their own infrastructure to counter their efforts.
It is time for progressives to take a bold stance against AIPAC’s influence and build their own infrastructure. We need candidates who are committed to a progressive domestic and international agenda, not those who are afraid to take a stand on important issues. The recent victory of Summer Lee is a shining example of what can be accomplished when progressives band together and fight for what they believe in.
The United States cannot continue to support Israel’s unlawful annexation of Palestinian land and its disregard for Palestinian human rights. We must demand that our elected officials take action to hold Israel accountable and work towards a just and peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Only by standing up to AIPAC and its affiliated organizations can we ensure a more just and equitable future for all.
