I keep writing the obit for AIPAC as the sputtering warhorse of the Israel lobby– not so fast. Today the leading pro-Israel organization is boasting that it brought more than 40 Congresspeople to Israel, a reported 27 Republicans and 14 Democrats, to celebrate the importance of the special relationship between the countries. “One of the largest delegations ever to visit Israel,” says one congressman. “The land of milk and honey,” says leading Democrat Hakeem Jeffries.
Some of the Democrats even met with disgraced rightwing leader Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu boasts. So all our liberal political values go out the window when Israel comes in the door. It appears that almost all the Republicans met separately with Netanyahu and were thrilled to do so.
The two delegations had separate gatherings with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. The Democrats look joyful– on the same day that Lapid is trashing the Iran deal our country is trying to reenter and warning that Israel will take action, using its army and intelligence service. Some friend…
The Republican and Democratic trips got together in bipartisan harmony at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, minority leader Kevin McCarthy side by side with majority leader Steny Hoyer. The trips were sponsored by AIPAC’s American Israel Education Foundation.
This is not to mention the eight Dems who went to Israel last week on a Nancy Pelosi junket.
The lobby has expressed concern about the Squad, young progressive urban members of color, who are critical of Israel. Here it answers with a video by Jeffries of Brooklyn, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, with fellow New York congressmen Ritchie Torres and Adriano Espaillat. “We got Brooklyn, uptown [Manhattan] and the Boogie Down [the Bronx], here in the land of milk and honey,” Jeffries gushed. “It’s so wonderful to express our support for the special relationship between the United States and Israel, which we will continue to dedicate our service to making sure is as strong as ever. ” (Recall that Jeffries said during an Israeli onslaught on Gaza in 2014 that killed more than 500 children — “Israel today, Israel tomorrow, Israel forever.”)
Ritchie Torres offered AIPAC his own video promotion for tourism to Israel and said he’d been to an illegal Israeli settlement, the “City of David,” in East Jerusalem (continuing the legacy of Trump’s religious-Zionist ambassador to Israel, David Friedman). Torres seems to savor his role as lead advocate for Israel among Democrats:
Look, there’s no country that is the target of more disinformation than Israel. And so it’s more urgent than ever for people to come to the state of Israel, see the reality on the ground with your own eyes, and come to your own conclusions
Torres said he had “walked on the pilgrimage road leading up to the Temple Mount,” and that was a “blessing.” He did not mention the fact that the Temple Mount is the Haram al-Sharif to Muslims, the site of sacred events in their tradition.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida also tweeted a spiritual/political message to AIPAC: about praying at the Western Wall, visiting a Christian holy place, and meeting with the rightwing Defense Minister Benny Gantz:
Talking w/ Def. Min. @gantzbe, visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, to leave a prayer at the Western wall for my mom and peace, reaffirms how vital this ally is to America. @AIPAC
Gantz is also working against the Iran deal. He lately moved to ban six leading Palestinian human rights and civil society groups as “terrorist”– a fascistic move that has met with no meaningful protest from Democrats. Gantz yesterday bragged about his meeting with Democrats at the King David Hotel. Among them were Dem leaders Steny Hoyer and Hakeem Jeffries, as well as Florida Israel lobby stalwarts Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Ted Deutch (AIPAC reports). That meeting surely included reference to the supposed threats posed by Palestinian human rights groups– or as Gantz put it, “the strategic and operational challenges that Israel must be prepared to face” including “the importance of ensuring that Israel has the means to defend its citizens.”
Deutch, by the way, accused fellow Dem Rashida Tlaib of antisemitism on the House floor last September when Tlaib dared to quote from Human Rights Watch report labeling Israel an “apartheid” state.
Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Manning of North Carolina also gave a video to AIPAC celebrating Israel’s “incredible new government.” Though that government is just as rightwing as Netanyahu’s, albeit with a rightwing Arab party in its coalition, Manning was all praise:
Israel has an extraordinary broad coalition government unlike any it’s ever had before. It’s important for us to be here to understand… the complexity of this incredible new government and also to demonstrate the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
(Manning is a former chair of the Jewish Federations, a Zionist organization.)
P.S. Florida’s Ted Deutch double-dipped, he was on Nancy Pelosi’s trip last week and the AIPAC one too.
I wonder how many of these “great friends” are coming home with their phones infected with NSO’s Pegasus spyware.
The pilgrimage to the mother land is going as planned. How many swam nude in the Dead Sea?
This IS all about the shekels/dollars and the ambitious politicians. Those that know that to win elections, and hold onto their power, HAVE to kiss up to Israel FIRST, and show their unwavering support. Why aren’t they going to the UK, or any of our real allies? Why are they so shamelessly visiting the country known to spy on us, is interfering in our foreign policies, and basically interfering in our internal policies and media too? They control us and Congress knows it.
What continues to amaze me about this visit is the complete lack of media coverage in the US.
How many Americans would like to know and would be shocked to their core to learn that during an ongoing global pandemic, and an unraveling international crisis where Europe is facing potential war and the largest Russian invasion since before Israel even existed, nearly a full TEN PERCENT of their elected House of Representatives officials are schmoozing in Israel and conducting what amounts to shadow foreign policy.
Not in their home states dealing with the pandemic. Not in their home states serving their constituents. Not in their homeland reassuring millions of extremely concerned Americans about Russia’s actions and provocations and the impact it is already having on our military, our government, and our economy. Not in their homeland taking briefings or supporting the government of which they are part, the military, or the White House dealing with one of the greatest crises in Europe in decades. Not even within 6,000 miles of the Capitol where they should be helping to draft legislation and sanctions against Russia, or would be needed should conflict involving America break out and would be required to potentially vote to declare war.
Nope. More than 10 percent of the House of Representative – including the Speaker of the House and second in line to the Presidency – has spent the last two weeks partying in Israel on a AIPAC’s dime, sucking up to Israeli leadership, shoring up political support and potential donors, and conducting shadow foreign policy and diplomacy. All while Vladimir Putin is literally on TV, laying claim to swathes of Ukraine and setting his targets on Kiev and while our allies in Europe look on in horror.
How touching, our congressional leaders rubbing shoulders and enjoying their junket with the REAL terrorists, the Zionist leaders of Israel. And how appropriate that this was held at the King David Hotel, site of the infamous attack by the terrorist underground group, the Irgun, back in 1946. Wonder if they commemorated the 75th anniversary of this despicable episode, where 91 people of all nationalities were killed, and 46 injured. Probably not.
Hey, as they say, you can’t make an omelette (state of Israel) without cracking a few eggs (anyone standing in the way)!
“The lobby has expressed concern about the Squad, young progressive urban members of color, who are critical of Israel. Here it answers with a video by Jeffries of Brooklyn, the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, with fellow New York congressmen Ritchie Torres and Adriano Espaillat. “We got Brooklyn, uptown [Manhattan] and the Boogie Down [the Bronx], here in the land of milk and honey,” Jeffries gushed. “It’s so wonderful to express our support for the special relationship between the United States and Israel, which we will continue to dedicate our service to making sure is as strong as ever. ” (Recall that Jeffries said during an Israeli onslaught on Gaza in 2014 that killed more than 500 children — “Israel today, Israel tomorrow, Israel forever.”)”
Had no idea Rep Hakeem Jeffries so owned by the I lobby and Israel. Owned. So deeply disappointing. Nauseating.
This morning/Feb 24th) on Washington Journal a male caller (believe it was Grant Smith) asked William Pomeranz why the U.S. was aok with the annexation and occupation of Palestinian lands (Golan Heights etc) and so adverse to Russian’s annexing and occupying territory in Ukraine. The caller was measured fact based etc. Pomeranz completely ignored the comparison and contradictions, and the host completely avoiding saying anything about Pomeranz completely avoiding the substance of the caller’s question.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?518018-101/washington-journal-william-pomeranz-discusses-russian-invasion-ukraine
At 19:52 in this segment