Al-Jazeera English's investigative newsmagazine, Frontline, produced an episode devoted to exploring the power and pull of the Israel Lobby in the US called "Lobbying for Israel." Here is the story on the "programme's" website:
It is said to be the most powerful interest group in Washington DC - but what is the Israel lobby? And how exactly does it operate?
As the race to the White House heats up, there is one policy on which all the presidential candidates can agree - the US relationship with Israel.
Israel is the world's largest recipient of US aid, taking in roughly $3bn in direct assistance every year.
It is an aid relationship unlike any other in the world - and by far the most generous foreign aid programme ever between any two countries.
Yet for decades, the US has criticised Israel for its policy of building settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
Every president from Jimmy Carter to George Bush has warned Israel to put a halt to its settlement expansion - and yet the settlements continue to go up, and the aid money continues to pour in.
How could this be? Many have attributed it to the so-called Israel lobby - a powerful coalition of interest groups working to promote a pro-Israel agenda in Washington DC.
For Israel's friends on Capitol Hill it can mean tens - sometimes hundreds - of thousands of dollars worth of campaign contributions from political action committees.
For Israel's enemies? It can mean the end of a political career.
So just how powerful is the pro-Israel lobby in America, and where is US policy heading from here?
That is the question for this week's Frontline USA.
The link to the 2-part episode is on the channel's website.
Or click here, Part 1:
Part 2:
[Tarboush Tip: Hanaan]
2 comments:
It is said to be the most powerful interest group in Washington DC - but what is the Israel lobby?
Who says that? Stupid people? The NRA could eat AIPAC for breakfast. So could the Sierra Club, AARP and a half dozen other lobbying organizations. What I want to know is whether Arabs really believe this kind of garbage, or if they just enjoy saying it because it makes them feel less ineffectual?
http://www.nra.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rifle_Association
The NRA has four million *American* members. That's almost as many Jews as live in Israel, no?
Representing 100 million *American* gun owners.
Those are actual voters, too. Want to talk about a lobby that American politicians fear? Look no further.
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