Democrats toe a line on Israel as AIPAC’s grip on Congress starts to slip

For decades, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee operated as the quiet enforcer of a bipartisan consensus: Politicians of both parties supported Israel — AIPAC made sure of it — and the U.S.-Israel relationship was widely understood to be a non-issue in campaigns.That arrangement publicly ruptured this week with a House floor vote that split Democrats, including their leadership, on whether to cut off military aid to Israel over its actions in Gaza and the West Bank.The amendment was symbolic.…
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is experiencing a decline in its influence over the Democratic Party, as evidenced by recent House votes and primary election results. A symbolic House amendment to cut military aid to Israel saw 103 out of 211 Democrats vote in favor, a significant increase from previous years. This shift reflects growing Democratic voter sentiment, with a Pew Research Center survey indicating 80% of Democrats now hold an unfavorable view of Israel.
- Several progressive candidates who openly criticized Israel's actions in Gaza and opposed AIPAC-backed opponents have won Democratic primaries across the U.S.
- Even some Democratic leaders, like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who voted for the aid cut, stated they did so to signal a need for a fundamental shift in U.S. policy toward Israel, asserting, "For the good of the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, it is clear that U.S. policy must change."
- This evolving dynamic suggests that for a growing segment of the Democratic electorate, opposition to AIPAC and Israel's policies is becoming an asset rather than a liability in campaigns.
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