“Winner Takes All: In Israeli-Palestinian Battle for Congress

The long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict has yet again made its way to the United States, this time via Capitol Hill. In a battle for congressional support, one side appears to have won the war for influence so far. A recent analysis by the New York Times revealed that pro-Israel lobbying organizations have outspent pro-Palestinian groups by an expansive margin in order to sway American legislative opinions on the conflict. Indeed, it looks as if the opposite side has become mere background noise on Capitol Hill. Mirroring deep divisions in the United States, American legislators take widely different stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On one side of the aisle, we see legislators that are outspoken in their rejection of Israel’s actions, and on the other, we find staunch supporters of the country. The difference is that the latter group is reaping the benefits of a highly counterbalanced $3.5 million lobbying effort over the past two years, more than 20 times the amount spent by the former one. It’s an unequal fight, no matter how we look at it. Two organizations stand out from the pro-Israel group. According to the New York Times, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, has spent at least $1.3 million lobbying legislators, while the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a neoconservative think tank, has spent around $1.3 million as well. By contrast, only about $150,000 was spent by pro-Palestinian groups, such as the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights. This disparity of funding appears to explain why pro-Israel views are so widely accepted in the political world. In a general atmosphere dominated by the Israeli-Palestinian debate, organizations on both sides are doing everything in their power to get their messages across. While there is no denying that pro-Israel groups have been the more successful one between the two, it remains to be seen if more money will bring with it more influence and power. At the same time, however, it is important to note that Palestinian activists in the United States have found ingenious ways to make their voices heard. Civil society pressure groups like Jewish Voice for Peace and Coalition to Stop Undermining Palestinian Peace are slowly but surely contributing to the Palestinian cause, even if their impact on Capitol Hill remains limited. And, as both sides continue battling one another, it looks like only one side can ultimately win.