AIPAC: Lobbies What It Stands For

 Nadene Goldfoot                                         

Anthony Blinken,Sec. of State and Michael Tuchin, with Blinken speaking to the group June 5, 2023.  

AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) is a pro-Israel lobbying group that engages with the Jewish community on issues related to Israel's security and the U.S.-Israel relationship.

 It supports policies strengthening the alliance, opposes boycotts against Israel, and advocates for a strong U.S. role in promoting peace through bilateral relations. 

While historically a central political expression of the organized Jewish community, some members of the community have become critical of AIPAC's increasingly right-wing political stances (with Republicans) and its alignment with some groups deemed dangerous to Jews. 

It seems that every group has its competitor, and for AIPAC it's been 

J Street.  J Street is often cited as the primary competitor to AIPAC, though other groups like the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) and various progressive organizations also act as competitors or counterweights. 

J Street: An alternative to AIPAC that advocates for a two-state solution and is critical of some Israeli policies, like settlement expansion. It has a different stance on issues like the Iran nuclear deal, supporting it while AIPAC opposed it.  In fact, I have seen it go against Israel 90% of the time.  I also have been many Americans go along with J Street, even many rabbis.  

J Street is a liberal, pro-Israel lobbying group founded in 2007 by Jeremy Ben-Ami and Daniel Levy. It was created to advocate for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to act as an alternative to more conservative pro-Israel groups. The organization supports diplomatic solutions, opposes Israeli settlements and the occupation, and provides support for candidates who align with its views, probably like Marjorie Taylor Greene.   

J Street is seen "by some" as a progressive alternative that supports a two-state solution, while AIPAC is a more traditional, hawkish organization that has historically supported right-wing policies. There have been times when I as an AIPAC person have wondered how J Street could believe in their demands since they went against Israel so many times.  They were more than competitors, but were Israel's antagonist.

• Justice Democrats, Working Families Party, Sunrise Movement, and Jewish Voice for Peace, have formed coalitions to counter AIPAC's electoral influence.
• Other pro-Israel organizations: Groups like the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the American Jewish Congress, and the American Jewish Committee also engage in the "Israel lobby," advocating for policies that can differ from or align with AIPAC's positions, and remember, AIPAC backs Israel's position and explains why.  
• Christian Zionists: This group is also part of the broader Israel lobby and may have different perspectives than AIPAC on specific issues.  Christian Zionists are Christians who believe the modern state of Israel has a theological and biblical basis, and they support its existence and the Zionist movement. They are often motivated by an interpretation of biblical prophecy that links the restoration of the Jewish people to Israel with the second coming of Jesus Christ. This belief often translates into political and social support for Israel, including financial aid, and a stance that is critical of policies that could be seen as weakening Israel. 
  
             PM Ehud Olmert speaking to AIPAC on June 4, 2008.

AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, was founded in 1954 by Isaiah L. Kenen to lobby for pro-Israel policies in the U.S.. It evolved from the American Zionist Council (AZC) and became a powerful bipartisan organization by the 1980s, concentrating its efforts on influencing Congress through donations, lobbying, and political action. 

Over time, its activities have included advocating for U.S. military aid to Israel, influencing policy on issues like the Iran nuclear deal and the recognition of Jerusalem, and using its political action committee (PAC) to support and defeat candidates. It's part in all this has been informative. 

The United States allows people to lobby for an issue, and this right is protected by the First Amendment's guarantee to "petition the Government for a redress of grievances". While lobbying is permitted, it is subject to regulations like the Lobbying Disclosure Act, which requires professional lobbyists and certain organizations to register and disclose their activities to ensure transparency and prevent corruption. 

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Problems with Traffic: Look at Israel's Helpful Invention

Nadene Goldfoot

There Israel sits, threatened by Iran with anniliation by atomic warfare, and she continues to create things.

One of her latest is Waze, the ability to shave off time in traffic tie ups that is working for the USA as well as Israel. It blows my mind when I picture those scientists continually coming up with ideas like this start up venture. They create something in every area. I think Professor Edward Bono could learn a few things from them about creative thinking.

By the way, just how do the "Palestinians" spend their time?

Reference: AIPAC news from Israel2C http://www.israel21c.org/technology/beat-the-traffic-with-waze

Israel Has a Killer of Cancer Cells

Professor Malka Cohen-Armon, a biochemist at Tel Aviv University has developed something that kills cancer cells but doesn't harm the normal cells while doing it. This may be the break--through needed to fight cancer. They're using it in breast cancer right now. I just learned about it on the AIPAC newsletter.

http://israel21c.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7379:closing-in-on-cancer&catid=57:health&Itemid=63

Anti-Israel Direction in USA Government

Nadene Goldfoot

By appointing Charles Freeman as Chairman of our National Intelligence Council, our government is showing its negativity towards Israel.

Mr. Freeman has been since 1989-1992 the former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and President of the Middle East Policy Council which was known as the American Arab Affairs Council. This was a lobbying group for the Arabs. One of their functions was to publish a quarterly journal called Middle East Policy which was filled with extreme anti-Israel messages. This very man, Charles Freeman, was responsible for this biased journal. Therefore, he just may share the sentiments it vomited out. He has been active in groups against Israel. In 2006 he was involved in Chicago with the group promoting John Mearsheimer and Walt in their writing against Israel.

Why President Obama invited him to take this position does not compute in my mind nor show me that he is qualified to be the editor of America's intelligence. Israel will not have a chance to be dealt with fairly.

P.S. Charles Freeman was NOT appointed as announced today under Yahoo's News Opinion section. 3/11/09. The writer was quite put out and blamed AIPAC and other Democrats favorable towards Israel.

Thank goodness for AIPAC and others. This would not have been fair at all. The writer is banking on Israel being completely wrong in hoping for such a Charles Freeman who would attack it nevertheless. We need fair open-minded people not against Israel at the start.

Reference: http://www.americanthinker.com/printpage/?url=http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/02/obamas_new_spy_chief_publishes.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_W._Freeman,_Jr.

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0209/schoenfeld022609.php3

3/18/2009: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths2/exclusives.html#a100

Carter's Help With Hamas

Nadene Goldfoot

Jimmy Carter was still trying to make the name for himself that he missed doing many years ago. He went against USA's philosophy of not speaking with Hamas. Jimmy's book shows to me how disgusted he had been after seeing himself as the messiah that could bring peace between the Arabs and Israel, and wrote a terrible book all against APAIC, the Jewish organization that speaks for Israel in the USA. I guess he was angry because we just didn't hand over all of Israel to the terrorists then.
                                                                               

After going to see Hamas's Mashaal in Damascus and much kissing, of course the terrorists still are not going to abide by his wishes. They were thrilled to speak with Carter as they feel that gives them legitimacy and they have been accepted. Now they have something to brag about. They will not recognize Israel. A very small article spoke of this on page A6 in the Oregonian this morning. It said Hamas was asked to halt rocket fire for a month to make a good impression on the world, and they refused. Yesterday it was reported that Hamas was willing to accept Israel as a "neighbor next door" one day. Later, Carter said they would accept a state in the 1967 borders but would never recognize the Jewish state. That certainly is a mixed message.

At least 5 Arab countries attacked Israel in 1967 and by doing so, lost claim to the 1967 borders. They lost. Now they want it and they were the losers. Aren't we lucky that Mexico has not fired on Texas every day with the goal of winning back all of their holdings, like California, Arizona and New Mexico? Well, the difference here is that Israel did not start the War of 1967. The Arab countries did and they lost.
                                                                           

We're not happy about being shelled every day in Sderot and even Ashkelon where the main hospital is, but it would be terrible to have a state next door who didn't recognize your rights and who wants you driven into the sea at any cost. That would only give them a closer range to shoot rockets. It would be moving the enemy in closer range. I was wondering what Olmert would say if Hamas accepted Carter's suggestion. Olmert might have accepted just to stop the rocket firing. In the long run, it would have been a bigger disaster for Israel. One thing we can count on is that Hamas doesn't want peace. They don't want to live side by side in a normal situation with Israel. That's not their goal.