The United States seems regularly now to be pursuing legally operating Israeli-related organizations to force them to register as possible foreign agents.

The most recent group to come under such pressure is AIPAC, the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is not currently required to register as a foreign agent.  Rather, it operates as an American-registered nonprofit funded by US citizens, which means it is legally exempt from 1938’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

Nevertheless, American politics have changed dramatically since AIPAC’s 1954 founding by Isaiah L. Kenen, originally under the name American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs. The organization formally adopted its current name in 1959.  AIPAC was initially established because Israel needed significant economic assistance to enable the country to absorb the huge influx of refugees who arrived soon after statehood was declared.

Truth be told, before AIPAC, Kenen headed the American Zionist Council, which was funded by foreign sources and, therefore, did register as a foreign agent as a result.  However, in an effort to stay within the legal requirements for lobbying groups not to have to register as foreign agents, AIPAC has always been funded by US supporters.

Sadly today, with the rise of “progressive” politics in the US, whether AIPAC should register as a foreign agent is now a subject of ongoing debate. Critics, even including some former AIPAC staff and a significant number of US lawmakers,........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)