After AIPAC failed to defeat El-Sayed in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary—after spending $32 million—it said that it remains committed to defeating El-Sayed and his "radical, anti-Israel" agenda in the general election. Which means it is poised to sink tens of millions of dollars in supporting Republican Mike Rogers. It also said that Haley Stevens, his opponent, had presented "an authentic Democratic agenda." Meaning that El-Sayed did not? And they think that Mike Rogers, a MAGA Trump supporter, does compared with El-Sayed?
How can AIPAC say that El-Sayed does not present an authentic Democratic agenda when his socialist stance is much more in line with the principles stated in the Declaration of Independence than most centrist Democrats'? And making it sound like AIPAC cares about an authentic Democratic agenda is deceitful, when in the same breath they make clear that they will support Mike Rogers, a Trump lackey, in the general election.
AIPAC's one-dimensional perspective is clearer now than ever. They will fight for the unequivocal U.S. support of Israel at any cost, even if it means having the Republicans and Trump remain in power and destroy our nation.
They are like the Evangelicals to whom there was nothing more important than the creation of a conservative judiciary that would reverse Roe v Wade and other liberal policies, such as LGBT rights, even at the cost of supporting perhaps the most Godless, misogynistic President that the United States has ever had and his MAGA allies. In both cases, they have made a bargain with the devil that will ultimately cost them their souls.
Let me state very clearly at the outset that I, as an American Jew who is the child of holocaust survivors, am a firm supporter of the State of Israel. As illustrated in numerous posts, I have, however, been critical of various actions of past and current Israeli governments towards Palestinians—both Palestinian citizens of Israel and those living in Gaza and the West Bank. See my posts, "The Palestinian/Israel Conflict - A Reality Check," and "A Democrat’s Plan for Ending the War in Gaza and Establishing Peace between Israel and the Palestinians."
And so, I have no problem with there being an organization such as AIPAC that has as its principal mission American support of Israel. But their version of supporting Israel is the "my country, right or wrong" version. It makes no difference what the government in power does; it doesn't matter how egregious the policies and actions of Netanyahu are; they support Israel regardless.
That position is not, in my view, supporting Israel's best interests. Israel has not just become a pariah among many formerly supportive governments around the world; it has suffered existential damage and is further from achieving security for its people than perhaps ever.
When looking at AIPAC's actions, I believe they support Netanyahu because they are as right-wing as he is. They have voiced no criticism of the settlers or other right-wing Israelis that have nothing but contempt for Palestinians. Officially, they support a two-state solution, but their support of Netanyahu's government and settler actions against Palestinians makes that official position a farce, a proverbial "fig leaf."
They are not an organization that asks, how do we support Israel while always acting in the best interests of the United States. They could do so much good with their money and influence. They could work for a better, more democratic Israel, but instead they are supporters of the Netanyahu government. They could work for an Israel that is at peace with its neighbors and is the core of an economic engine that transforms the Middle East. Instead, they work for an Israel that maintains itself through force and fear, never allowing its people to experience the security that comes from living in peace.
Israel deserves the United States' support. But that support should not be unconditional. It is not the role of the U.S. to judge Israeli governments, but when a government takes action that is contrary to international law and is questionable from a human rights standpoint, it should withhold support.
U.S. law provides for withholding arms sales in various situations. First, defense articles may be sold only for specific purposes, including "internal security and legitimate self-defense." Second, no security assistance may be provided to any country whose government engages in a "consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights." Without question, the use of arms against Gaza has gone far beyond "legitimate self-defense" and is evidence of a "consistent pattern" of gross violations of human rights.
AIPAC's support of Israel, regardless of what it is doing, encourages a violation of U.S. law by members of Congress and is unscrupulous.
Ronald L. Hirsch is a teacher, legal aid lawyer, survey researcher, nonprofit executive, consultant, composer, author, and volunteer. He is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Chicago Law School and the author of We Still Hold These Truths. Read more of his writing at www.PreservingAmericanValues.com
