Some Democrats have adopted rhetoric targeting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) that critics contend echoes ancient antisemitic conspiracy theories. These theories, historically used to persecute Jewish people, typically allege that a small group secretly controls society through money or intelligence, advocating for their power to be stripped or for their elimination.
This narrative, exemplified by the forged "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" used in Nazi propaganda, is now being applied by some within the Democratic Party to AIPAC, a prominent pro-Israel lobbying organization. Instead of directly naming Jewish people, these critics focus on AIPAC as a proxy for perceived control.
Examples cited include anti-AIPAC sentiments expressed by figures like Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Darializa Avila Chevalier. These individuals, and others, reportedly portray AIPAC as a controlling entity in Congress, responsible for supporting a "genocide" of Palestinians and for drawing the U.S. into conflict with Iran.
AIPAC is described as a grassroots organization with thousands of American members, including Jewish individuals, evangelical Christians, and others who support Israel. Its activists openly engage with members of Congress and their staff annually in Washington to advocate for aid to Israel. The organization also operates a political action committee, which began donating to campaigns after a rival group, J Street, started backing candidates.
However, the article asserts that AIPAC is not all-powerful, noting past failures to prevent actions such as President Ronald Reagan's sale of surveillance planes to Saudi Arabia or President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran. The organization's success is primarily in supporting aid to Israel, partly because such funding is required to be spent domestically.
The criticism of AIPAC by some Democrats reportedly began about 20 years ago, with accusations that the "Israel lobby" influenced the Iraq War. This message resonated with left-wing Democrats, many of whom have become increasingly critical of Israel. Efforts by AIPAC to appease Democrats, including an apology to President Obama, have reportedly not altered the trend.
The article suggests that the demonization of AIPAC by the left, even by some progressive Jewish Democrats, is a concerning development with potentially negative consequences.