FAST FACTS ON AIPAC
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is one of the most powerful
lobby organizations in Washington D.C. As America's leading pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC
systematically prevents Congress from holding Israel accountable for its practices of
military occupation, colonialism, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid. Here are a few of the
reasons why AIPAC is so bad for the US:
AIPAC pushes policies in violation of domestic and international laws
*AIPAC supports policies that are in direct contrast to US law, such as the Arms Export
Control Act (PL 80-829). This law prohibits aid to countries using U.S. weapons against
civilians or civilian infrastructure. The U.S. Foreign Assistance Act states that “no
security assistance may be provided to any country the government of which engages in a
consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”
*AIPAC lobbied against a provision in the Iraq War spending bill that would require the
president to seek congressional approval before using force against Iran.
*Under pressure from AIPAC, since 1972 the US has vetoed 44 UN Security Council
resolutions condemning Israel’s actions against the Palestinians, including the latest
resolution denouncing Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
*AIPAC promotes economic sanctions and military force against Iran.
*Recently, AIPAC pressured the US to denounce the Goldstone Report on the Israeli
assault of Gaza in December 2008.
-AIPAC supports policies that are in direct contrast to international law, such the
establishment of colonies in the Occupied West Bank and the construction of the 26-foot
high concrete “separation barrier” running through the West Bank.
AIPAC is entangled in espionage and treason
* In 2005, a Pentagon analyst pled guilty to charges of passing classified US government
documents to Israel through AIPAC regarding United States policy towards Iran.
*In 1984, Israeli Minister of Economics Dan Halpern passed US government classified
documents to AIPAC outlining commercial trade information on major US industries
lobbying against the US-Israel Free Trade Area.The FBI conducted an investigation, but
no charges were ever filed.
* AIPAC continues to lobby for the release of Jonathan Pollard, who was convicted of
treason for passing decryption codes to Israel. These codes were then passed to the
former Soviet Union and used to execute dozens of US agents living inside the USSR.
AIPAC removes Congressional representatives who challenge Israel
*Senators Adlai Stevenson III and Charles H. Percy, and Representatives Paul Findley,
Pete McCloskey, Cynthia McKinney, Earl F. Hilliard were demonized publicly by pro-
Israeli groups, likened to supporters of terrorism, and defeated at the polls by candidates
heavily financed by the Israel lobby.
*AIPAC keeps a score card of how congressional representatives vote and promote
donors to make contributions to the politicians who score well.
AIPAC funnels money out of America and into Israel
*AIPAC has made sure that Israel’s annual 3 billion dollar aid package has remained
untouched while domestic social programs are reduced or cancelled.
*AIPAC undermines transparent lobbying practices by using its status as a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit to pay for privatetrips to Israel for members of Congress that give them a very
one-sided perspective of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
AIPAC spreads confusion and mistruths
*AIPAC silences all constructive criticism of Israel by labelling critics as “anti-Semitic,”
“delegitimizers” or “self-hating Jews”
*It perpetuates the false impression that Israel is a tiny state whose existence is constantly
jeopardized, when in reality it is the most belligerent military power in the Middle East
with nuclear weapon capabilities, which it refuses to declare.
*AIPAC claims that Israel is America’s greatest ally in the War Against Terror; it fails to
acknowledge that America’s unconditional support for Israel has significantly increased
anti-American sentiment throughout the region, thus endangering our troops and creating
more terrorism.
*AIPAC undermines American support for democracy in the Arab world in order to
avoid disrupting the friendly relationship Israel shares with corrupt regional dictators