AIPAC: “What Went Wrong?!” – 40 Years Observing AIPAC From the Inside!

These days it’s almost impossible to go online and not read yet-another critical article about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC); not see yet-more Congressional candidates rushing to disassociate themselves from AIPAC.

Sadly, somehow – perhaps at least in some part due to the organization and Israel’s own actions, AIPAC – and Israel – have become toxic in so many peoples’ eyes. And that deeply hurts me. It’s a far cry from how AIPAC was perceived during most of the nearly 40 years I was at AIPAC – although of course vociferous haters of AIPAC – and haters of Israel – have always been around. But never previously at the heights that we see and experience so publicly today.

This week marks exactly 40 years since I began working at AIPAC in the then-called Research and Information Department. And I had actually attended my first AIPAC Policy Conference, a few months previously – as I wrote about in April to mark that 40th Anniversary.  I continued working at AIPAC until two years ago when AIPAC decided that my 38 year stint at AIPAC should come to a  close.

About my overall view of AIPAC, I can only reiterate what I wrote in The Times of Israel two years ago “Saying Goodbye to AIPAC but not to the Cause“:  That the first time I entered the offices of AIPAC was such a thrilling moment for me.  AIPAC – “The pro-Israel Lobby” – was an organization that I had read about for years and it was THE place I had wanted to work. Not Capitol Hill. Not “The Government.” Not Academia and certainly not a corporation. And now here I was: Inside AIPAC. And not only that; I would be focusing on exactly the issues that I had been concerned about for years: The individuals and organizations whose attitude toward AIPAC and Israel were the exact opposite of mine!

Even today, AIPAC – and the broader pro-Israel cause – remains in my blood and in my kishkes and in my soul. But of course being a supporter of AIPAC – or being pro-Israel – doesn’t mean having to agree with everything AIPAC or Israel does! And criticizing AIPAC or Israel doesn’t necessarily make one either anti-AIPAC or anti-Israel.

But while I might sometimes disagree with certain things AIPAC does or says; I remain fully committed to the concept of an organization of loyal Americans, funded by Americans, doing their legal bit on a bipartisan basis to help ensure the safety and survival of the State of Israel – without seeking to impose their own personal views or preferences upon the Jewish State.

When I was in college; I attempted to write what was ultimately, a never-written Doctoral Dissertation on the circumstances under which there there would be a decline in U.S. support for Israel. A topic I had focused on in various ways in several term papers during my undergraduate and graduate years. 
 I was familiar with the fate of the once-powerful “China Lobby” as an example of what could happen. But I confess that I never anticipated that Jews would turn against Israel and AIPAC to such an extent. Or that AIPAC would become so unpopular – often unfairly demonized – so quickly and so much.

Attacks on Israel and AIPAC are obviously not a new development nor are many of the themes of those attacks. I could cite numerous “Campaigns Against Israel” and attacks from AIPAC from my years of involvement which had many of the same delegitimization, defamation and denigration themes one sees so often today. There were books, articles, organizations and individuals devoting much effort to bashing AIPAC. Social media of course has added a massive impetus to those campaigns. And unquestionably groups and individuals are now more open in their calls to wipe out the State of Israel.  What was once the province of the extreme has become far more “mainstream.” And of course open hatred of AIPAC is there for all to see – including from numerous Congressmen.

There have always been American Jewish organizations to AIPAC’s Left or Right criticizing positions or actions AIPAC was taking or not taking. AIPAC was too-supportive of the Government of Israel. AIPAC wasn’t supportive enough of the Government of Israel. AIPAC didn’t speak for American Jewry. And so forth. The founding of 

J Street in 2007  whatever its direct policy impact, at minimum provided a fig leaf for those who wanted to say they were both pro-Israel but ready to criticize Israel.   And these days, many Congressmen in what they’re advocating, suggest a certain lack of support for Israel. And former ostensible “Friends of AIPAC” are now rushing away from AIPAC as though it was something malignant.

A deeper dive into “What Went Wrong” – to coin a phrase – for AIPAC – and what AIPAC could conceivably do about this decline; is for another occasion. Even if one concludes AIPAC made certain mistakes, some actions would seem irreversible: You can’t unscramble an omelette!

And of course much of the problem has never really been due to the actions taken by AIPAC. The precipitous decline in popularity in the United States of Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel first among Democrats and then in the broader population has contributed to the quandry AIPAC confront.

If however there was a key “turning point” in this relationship and in AIPAC’s declining influence on Congress; it would be the fight against President Obama’s 2015 Iran deal – The “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -which the Government of Israel opposed and AIPAC vigorously and expensively- but ultimately, unsuccessfully, fought again.


  In September 2015, at the time of AIPAC’s failed JCPOA effort; former AIPAC Executive Director, Tom Dine has a piece in Foreign Affairs  “AIPAC’s Waterloo? Why Iran Is Worse than AWACS” (Subscription) referencing AIPAC’s famed 1981 (losing) fight against the Reagan Administration’s sale of AWACs planes to Saudi Arabia. (Of course from the AWACs defeat, AIPAC emerged ever stronger)

In the years since JCPOA, one saw an increase in Congressmen – almost invariably Democrats, taking positions which AIPAC would prefer they didn’t adopt! It saw Bernie Sanders in 2016 and several Democratic Presidential nominees in 2020 refusing to attend or speak at AIPAC’s Policy Conferences. And the decision to end the annual massive AIPAC Policy Conference brought to an end a unifying and rallying point for much of American Jewry (and also a rallying place for anti-AIPAC protests!)

AIPAC’s announcement in late 2021 that the organization would be getting involved in direct political giving was another major turning point and perhaps was a “crossing of the Rubicon.” Obviously the decision was not taken lightly; and there were very-valid reasons why AIPAC leadership made the determination to go counter to AIPAC history and practice and make this change. The impact of this decision: Some initial victories. A lot of money spent. A lot more media focus paid to AIPAC. And – for better or worse – a growing general public awareness of the existence of AIPAC.  Personally I don’t believe “throwing money” into campaigns does more than put a temporary finger in the dike.

AIPAC – December 2021

AIPAC had obviously always been involved in politics and political education and of course in lobbying. Haters to the contrary; those are positive things – and the right of American citizens – including American Jews! There were obviously pro-Israel supporters and supporters of AIPAC who got involved in political campaigns and made financial donations. But legally it was not the organization itself  doing this- even if some “Detractors” tried to claim it was. The new AIPAC policy clearly changed things. And several former AIPAC senior staffers publicly questioned the move.  I’d been brought up with  the organizational “Mantra” that AIPAC “didn’t rate or endorse” – and didn’t contribute to political campaigns.  (I’d also been brought up in a time when AIPAC overwhelmingly did not publicly criticize congressmen and had the obviously a little-facetious, mantra that there were only “Friends and Potential Friends.”

In some ways, AIPAC has come full-circle over these past 40 years. Back when I joined AIPAC in 1986, there was a real concern that working at AIPAC might hurt one’s post-AIPAC job prospects – at least in certain circles. And that was something I was aware of when I accepted the AIPAC job.  Then for many years, it was really not a problem. And even today, in some circles – especially in the Jewish communal World; having worked at AIPAC is a bonus. Just look around at the various former AIPAC staffers employed at Community organizations – having picked up certain skill sets from their time at AIPAC.  But these days I also look at some of my former AIPAC colleagues and from their “LinkedIn” profiles; you would never know that they had worked at AIPAC. I find that rather unfortunate! Personally I’m proud to have worked at AIPAC and shout it from the rooftops! And were I able to do it all over again; I would have signed on with AIPAC.

In the end,  I remain a supporter of AIPAC; just not an unquestioning or uncritical one!  And of course I remain a Zionist and strong supporter of Israel. But ultimately, AIPAC is of course only an instrument to further a greater cause.  AIPAC is not the cause itself. If there is a better instrument out there – or a better instrument can be created – to advance this cause; so be it. As we’ve seen over the past century in American Jewish life; organizations have risen and declined. There are a myriad of Jewish and pro-Israel organizations which didn’t exist 40 years ago: while some previously-existing organizations have become defunct – or virtually-moribund.

Wishing all my readers an early Chag Sameach!