Money spent: $39,449,387
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is the most powerful pro-Israel lobby group in the U.S. It boasts that "the U.S.-Israel relationship is a mutually beneficial partnership that saves lives and advances American interests and values, helps protect our troops, strengthens our economy, and addresses 21st-century challenges."
We disagree! In reality, AIPAC does the opposite. It is one of the main reasons why more elected officials aren’t calling for a ceasefire and end to the genocide in Palestine—even though it’s the overwhelming demand from the people. This is because AIPAC:
- Buys politicians to advocate unconditional U.S. support for Israel
- Funds election campaigns to back pro-Israel politicians
- Denies Israel's appalling human rights record and specializes in deflecting Israel's atrocities to blame Palestinians
- Targets anyone criticizing the Israeli government via smear campaigns
- Helps defeat pro-Palestine candidates in elections as seen in the recent defeat of Rep. Jamaal Bowman
Quick Facts
- Incorporated in 1963, AIPAC was established by Isaiah L. Kenen 10 years prior in 1953, not long after the Nakba.
- It was initially called the "American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs"-- a lobbying division of the American Zionist Council.
- Isaiah L. Kenen used to work for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to "implement Israel's foreign policy and promote economic, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries."
- AIPAC formed in part due to a hostile international response to the 1953 Qibya massacre when Israeli forces massacred more than sixty-nine Palestinian villagers in Qibya West Bank, two-thirds of which were women and children, and destroyed forty-five houses, a school, and a mosque.
- In late 2021, AIPAC formed its own political action committee, called United Democracy Project (UDP). It also announced plans for a Super-PAC, which can spend money on behalf of candidates.
Politicians in the U.S. bought by groups like AIPAC and weapons companies that have identical interests as AIPAC have a ripple effect across the globe. The U.S. has the most significant military influence in the world, and we've seen it in practice when the U.S. vetoes ceasefire agreements at the U.N. If the U.S. disapproves -- it doesn't fly. This influence pins down U.S. "allies" in Europe and elsewhere to be accountable to zionist and war-mongering values, too. In other words, the lobbyist groups buying Congress don't just affect Americans. It affects everyone, everywhere.
Related Links
How AIPAC shapes unconditional US support for Israel, AlJazeera, September, 2024
Five things we learned from our reporting on the US’s pro-Israel lobby, The Guardian, August 2024
AIPAC is growing desperate, AlJazeera, August 2024
Progressives on AIPAC’s Defeat of Bowman: “Now We Know How Much It Costs to Buy an Election”, The Intercept, June 2024
AIPAC uncorks $100 million war chest to sink progressive candidates
*Data on this page includes the dollar amount the pro-Israel lobby spent on lobbying elected officials since 1998. Most of this money does not go to politicians’ accounts, rather it’s spent paying lobbyists and covering lobbying expenses. This number does not include campaign contributions given to politicians by the pro-Israel lobby, that information can be found on the Politicians Bought by Zionism page. While campaign contributions are a significant factor in determining the influence of the pro-Israel lobby, it is necessary to consider the amount spent on lobbying efforts to understand just how effective lobbying is — so much so that they’re willing to spend millions on it.