Published: 11 March 2022
Last updated: 4 March 2024
DAN COLEMAN: The decision by America’s largest pro-Israel lobby group to back 37 'election deniers' raises doubts about whether it is committed to democracy, or only Israel
THE AMERICAN ISRAEL Public Affairs Committee’s newly formed political action committee has been widely condemned following the release of its first list of congressional endorsements. Shockingly, 37 of those endorsed voted, on January 6 of last year, against certification of Joe Biden’s victory.
While AIPAC proudly describes Israel as “the Middle East’s sole stable democracy” the lobbying group seems to be fine with threats to American democracy as long as those doing the threatening are firmly committed to Israel.
American Jews should need no reminder that the congressional Republicans voting against certification were part of the same movement to overturn the election that featured a host of white supremacist antisemites including Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and numerous adherents of QAnon.
Many of these Republicans, rather than rebuking the far right, have attempted to recast the insurrectionists as everything from tourists to patriots.
It hardly needs to be pointed out that Jews tend to prosper under democracy but have perished under fascism. Surely, this is one aspect of the admonition to “never forget”.
For Abe Foxman, former head of the Anti Defamation League, AIPAC’s endorsements entail an unacceptable contradiction. Calling the endorsements “a sad mistake,” Foxman tweeted “those who undermine America‘s democracy undermine America and a weak America will not be able to stand and support its ally Israel.”
AIPAC’s endorsees include quite the rogue’s gallery.
Notable among them is Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, who was not just a vote against certification but an active participant in the so-called “Stop the Steal” endeavour.
