Pro-Israel organizations shape UK-US foreign policy
The idea that an Israeli Lobby exists is not new. Indeed, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) describes itself as ‘America’s pro-Israel lobby’. Established in 1960, AIPAC monitors issues ranging from strengthening the US-Israel relationship to opposing anti-Israel discrimination.
The Lobby works not simply by funding and campaigning on behalf of Israel’s interests but also by informing the discourse and supporting pro-Israel organisations. AIPAC’s 3 million pro-Israel members for example work to ‘strengthen bipartisan support for the US-Israel relationship.’ According to its website, “AIPAC supported 365 pro-Israel Democratic and Republicn candidates in 2022 with more than $17 million in direct support through AIPAC. In 2024, every single AIPAC endorsed candidate won.” Rather brazenly it adds that “it Is now the biggest source of Republican money flowing into competitive Democratic primaries this year”.
Yet the merest suggestion that Israel might be influencing the affairs of government in the US and indeed the UK ‘remains a third rail that one touches at one’s peril.’ In the UK, Faiza Shaheen, until recently a Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate was ‘deselected’ for liking tweets critical of Israel and its influence and was replaced by Shama Tatler, a member of the pro-Israel Jewish Labour Movement. In the US, Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), lost his seat to a pro-Israel opponent George Latimer. Mr Latimer was recruited by local Israelis who were unhappy with Mr Bowman’s criticism of Israel and his calls for a ceasefire. AIPAC spent over £12m in support of his campaign and along with some other Republican mega donors, plans to spend another $100m ousting other – mainly POC – Democratic Members of Congress.
In 2006, John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M.Walt, two American political scientists, published a paper analysing how US foreign policy came to be defined by the relationship between the US and Israel and used the the phrase ‘Israeli Lobby’ as ‘shorthand for the loose coalition of individuals and organisations [not all of whom were Jews or Jewish] who actively work to shape US foreign policy in a pro‐Israel direction.’ Despite relentless and continuing criticism, they continue to make their case.
In 2020, Israeli filmmakers produced a documentary, ‘‘Til Kingdom Come’ which showed the rising influence of a hyperpartisan, hyper Republican group of evangelical Christians in the Israel Lobby. This is borne out by the existence of Christians United for Israel. With ten million members, it is the largest pro-Israel organisation in the US and it’s mission, quoted verbatim below tells you everything you need to know about the existence and influence of an Israel Lobby:
Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is the foremost Christian organisation educating and empowering millions of Americans to speak and act with one voice in defence of Israel and the Jewish people. CUFI’s diversity across political, ethnic, generational and denominational lines maximises our impact in communities, in the media, on campus, and in our nation’s capital. CUFI is committed to confronting indifference and combating antisemitism in all its forms wherever it may be found.
In the UK, Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) and Christian Friends of Israel are two very well networked advocacy organisations. CFI paid for James Cleverly and Suella Braverman, both senior members of the British government, to visit Israel three months after they were elected to Parliament. It claims 80% of conservative MPs as members and has access to the highest levels of Israel’s political, military and intelligence establishment.
The Lobby’s influence with the Labour party is equally strong. According to a report by Declassified UK (Feb 2024), 41 MPs are known to have accepted approximately £280,000 from the Israel lobby while groups connected to the lobby have funded over 50 Labour MPs visits to Israel since 1999. One of the funders, Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) describes itself as a “Westminster based lobby group working with the British Labour Party to promote the State of Israel.” In January 2024, amidst an ongoing genocide, LFI took Labour MPs Christian Wakeford and Margaret Hodge to Israel as part of a “solidarity mission.” Its sources of funding are unknown but it is believed to be closely associated with the state of Israel.
In the words of Sir Alan Duncan, the Conservative UK foreign minister from 2016 to 2019, “Israel thinks it controls the [UK] Foreign Office. And it does!” According to UK’’s former Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, Israel’s “crude and indiscriminate” approach risks fueling decades of conflict in the Middle East.
It’s noteworthy that both politicians are not in office.