AIPAC's Republican Bet Risks Israel's Bipartisan Support
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
The pro-Israel lobby AIPAC has increasingly aligned with Republicans, risking alienation of Democrats and Israel's need for bipartisan U.S. support. Author Yoram Dori argues Israel must maintain ties with both American parties, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reliance on Republican backing. He suggests that a future Israeli government seeking to mend ties with Democrats might find groups like J Street to be valuable diplomatic assets.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- AIPAC's increasing alignment with Republicans risks alienating Democrats, jeopardizing Israel's bipartisan U.S. support.
- Author Yoram Dori warns Israel cannot afford to be tied to a single American political party.
- The Netanyahu government may have encouraged AIPAC's shift towards the Republican establishment.
- J Street is noted for maintaining dialogue with Democrats when official Israeli policy has alienated them.
- Dori criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's past reliance on Republican support as a political tool.
The powerful pro-Israel lobby AIPAC has increasingly aligned itself with the Republican party, potentially alienating Democrats and jeopardizing Israel's need for bipartisan support in the United States. This shift, possibly encouraged by the Netanyahu government, has seen AIPAC focus on its Republican ties while engaging in battles against Democratic candidates critical of the Israeli government. This strategy has distanced significant parts of the Democratic party from the lobby.
The author, Yoram Dori, argues that Israel cannot afford to be tied to a single American political party, as the US political landscape is constantly shifting. He suggests that aligning Israel's fate with one party is a gamble on its future. While acknowledging that the progressive group J Street may not match AIPAC's organizational strength, Dori notes that J Street has maintained important dialogue channels with Democrats during a time when official Israeli policy has alienated them.
Dori urges AIPAC to reconsider its approach, emphasizing that Israel requires friends across the American political spectrum. He also advises Jerusalem to learn from this situation, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's past reliance on Republican support as a personal political asset. Dori stresses that the relationship between Israel and the US is not the property of any prime minister and should not be used as a tool for political survival.
Looking ahead, Dori hopes for a future Israeli government that will work to restore relations with the Democratic party, rebuild mutual trust, and re-establish bipartisan support for Israel. In such a scenario, he suggests that J Street could become a crucial diplomatic asset.
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