Not too many people have heard of AIPAC, which stands for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. It is not a PAC, under the standard definition of Political Action Committees, but a lobbying group. Here is how AIPAC describes itself on its website: "For more than half a century, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has worked to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. From a small pro-Israel public affairs boutique in the 1950s, AIPAC has grown into a 100,000-member national grassroots movement described by The New York Times as "the most important organization affecting America’s relationship with Israel."
That goal is one that we would ordinarily admire—American citizens bonding together to let their government know how they feel about issues that are important to them, as Americans. The problem here is that AIPAC is a group of American citizens who have bonded together to influence the American government to work for the interests of a foreign government—Israel[...]
This year on Land Day people around the world are coordinating actions to boycott Israeli products that are made illegally in the Occupied Territories. Refusing to buy products that break international law is one way we can put our money where our values are - in justice and in tikkun olam, repairing the world, rather than destroying it.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee occupied the Washington Convention Center this past weekend importing a culture of uncertainty and paranoia into the Capitol. Most AIPAC attendees came to the conference uncertain about American-Israeli relations. Besides condemnation from Vice-President Joe Biden, even General Petraeus testified a couple weeks ago that Israeli actions put American troops [...]
Last Friday, NPR prematurely declared that the 7th anniversary of the Iraq war passed without little notice. A few hundred tea party activists and the HCR reconciliation bill hogged the headlines. Yet, thousands of protesters turned out all across the country to protest the wars and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, calling on the White [...]
On December 15th I participated in my first direct action. I have been organizing against the US’ blunt force approach to foreign policy since 2005, but had never taken part in civil disobedience. Community organizing, fundraising for social change, writing to congress and working for a grassroots foreign policy lobby had sufficed until recently. With [...]
While I was being tackled by security guards at Washington’s Convention Center during the AIPAC conference for unfurling a banner that asked “What about Gaza?,” my heart was aching. I wasn’t bothered so much by the burly guards who were yanking my arms behind by back and dragging me-along with 5 other CODEPINK members-out of [...]
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
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