It’s impossible to be on social media these days and not be confronted with a slew of posts and articles vitriolically attacking Israel and American supporters of Israel, including very-much so, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). There have of course always been “critiques” of AIPAC – some very hostile; but at least in their magnitude, nothing compared to what we see today. In the old days, most of the attacks were far more on the fringes. And of course their views weren’t given their exposure of social media. And there were far more people willing to speak out against them.

For seven plus decades, Israel’s “detractors” in the United States have engaged in a an ongoing campaign to denigrate, demonize and delegitimize the Jewish State. Over the years, this “Campaign” ebbed and flowed in its virulence, intensity and significance. While the anti-Israel fringes always made explicit their “rejection of Israel;” some of Israel’s more prominent detractors, whatever they may have thought privately or hinted at publicly; at-least offered lip-service to acceptance of Israel. This was perhaps because this was a sine qua non for political acceptation in mainstream America.

An integral part of that campaign against Israel were the efforts to delegitimize American supporters of Israel. Be they American Zionists, American Jewish organizations such as AIPAC or ADL or American politicians of either party who were supportive of Israel (and there were a lot of those!) The anti-Israel haters understood that US support for Israel was very-important to Israel in a myriad of ways.; and AIPAC obviously played a not-inconsequential role in promoting and strengthening this support. And the wondrous highlight of every AIPAC year was the ever-growing annual AIPAC Policy Conference which until it ended at the time of COVID was the American Jewish highlight of the year which attracted Jews and supporters of Israel from across the political spectrum.

This decades-long campaign by haters of Israel to denigrate, demonize and delegitimize AIPAC began long before I arrived at AIPAC some 40 years and was the subject of AIPAC’s 1983 “Monograph, “The Campaign To Discredit Israel. Following those Anti-Israel and anti-AIPAC efforts is how I spent a considerable part of my time at AIPAC. It was a topic I used to write and speak about while at AIPAC – and have continued to write about since leaving AIPAC some 18 months ago. So saw books such as former Congressman Paul Findley’s“They Dare to Speak Out,” “Stealth PACS” Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer “The Israel Lobby” and George Ball’s “The Passionate Attachment” and a slew of Israel and AIPAC bashing organizations and publications.

There is an oft-repeated shibboleth: That supporters of Israel characterize all criticism of Israel as Antisemitism. They don’t. And of course not all criticism of Israel – or of AIPAC -is either “Anti-Israel” or antisemitic. But certainly a fair amount of it is. And certainly antisemites are piling on in their antisemitic comments and insinuations. And it’s something that the ostensibly “Not antisemitic, just anti-Israel” activists are doing little to counter. Throw in the “As A Jew” haters of Israel who proclaim themselves Jewish just to bolster their attacks.

There are numerous reasons for this growth in antipathy towards Israel and AIPAC – not to mention the growth in and increasingly legitimacy of antisemitism – often disguised in “Anti-Zionism.” Much of is has been beyond anything done by Israel or AIPAC and reflects the gradual evolution in the American “Zeitgeist” towards Israel on both left and right these last few years. Something that is continuing to grow. At the same time, I would, but I won’t deny that at least some of it came about as part of an almost-self perpetuating cycle of actions and counter-actions.

Obviously AIPAC’s decision to get directly involved in electoral politics (a decision taken without any input from me!) added further ammunition of fuel to the anti-AIPAC fire.
But many of the arguments used and attacks against AIPAC are old ones, The Democratic Party shows the growth of vitriolic anti-Israel Progressives (which was part of the reason AIPAC made the decision teenage in political donations. And far-more recently attacks on AIPAC are being echoed and promoted by mainstream Democrats. It’s a complex matter. And of course there has been also a rise on the right using a variety of arguments.

I have been since early childhood a strong Zionist – something I remain. I was a big believer in AIPAC before I even joined the organization. And I continue to fully-support and embrace the AIPAC core mission of seeking to support and strengthen the US-Israel relationship. I fully-support the idea that it is Israel, since they will live with consequences, are ultimately the ones who should make the decisions which will determine the fate of their country. (Something J Street of course feels very differently about.) And I fully-understand and sympathize with the difficulties and various challenges that AIPAC faces and confronts these days especially given the increasing unpopularity of Israel and especially its Government in the United States among many American Jews. But the dislike of Prime Minister Netanyahu, his government and his government’s actions has been growing, especially among Democrats. And the more expressions of thanks to President Trump, there are from Israel or attacks on Democrats— or by AIPAC – the more the problems there are from Democrats.

At the same time that doesn’t mean I necessary endorse every AIPAC social media post or every AIPAC action. Like some other supporters of Israel and AIPAC I may feel some discomfort over some things AIPAC may have said or done. I’m not personally a big fan of AIPAC social media posting. Publicly getting into online fights with various Congressmen – no matter how hostile they may be or attacking J Street using the phrase “They may be many things but they’re not pro-Israel.” (I’m even less of a fan of J Street attacking AIPAC!)

Obviously people of good will can disagree over what’s the best approach supporters of Israel, in this case, should take. Or how best to get involved in politics to promote pro-US-Israel policies. (But I in fact felt pretty-much the same way when I was employed by AIPAC.) I’m just far more of the old AIPAC school believing in “Friends and Potential Friends” and people from the very left to the very right – Jews and non-Jews – on a bipartisan basis, supporting AIPAC and Israel. I also believe in trying to tamper down differences and disputes not accentuate them. But ultimately for me that’s primarily a matter of difference over tactics not of end results.

Given the problems. And given where we are now. And the path AIPAC has taken – not to mention that Israel has its policies; there are no easy solutions.

It’s far easier for J Street who have long been active speaking out on various social and political issues, which have aligned them increasingly with the views of the Democratic party (and J Street have a number of Democratic Senators coming to speak at their end of the month convention.) The trouble with J Street is that they clearly have an agenda regarding Israel. And they have publicly promoted that agenda and put forward “Peace plans” and advocated pressure and restrictions on Israel. The trouble is that J Street’s views for the most part, don’t reflect the Zionist mainstream in Israel. More on that another time.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)