AIPAC Faces Tough Times Ahead!

In the United States, when people talk about the “Israel Lobby,” the first organization that comes to mind is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The goal of the “Israel Lobby” is to ensure that both parties in the U.S. Congress remain “pro-Israel.” The political heavy lifting to achieve this goal has largely been carried out by AIPAC. Ariel Sharon, one of Israel’s former prime ministers and known as the “Butcher of Beirut,” once told an American audience during a speech: “When people ask how they can help Israel, I tell them, ‘Help AIPAC.’”

In June 2005, Jeffrey Goldberg wrote in The New Yorker under the headline “Real Insiders” about a dinner conversation he had with Steven Rosen of AIPAC. Goldberg asked Rosen whether AIPAC, which had been tied to certain scandals, was losing its political influence over the U.S. Congress. Rosen replied: “You see this napkin? In twenty-four hours, I could get seventy senators’ signatures on it.” In 2025, AIPAC no longer possesses the same level of confidence that Rosen displayed in 2005.

In the U.S., companies that lobby Congress on behalf of foreign governments are required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Lobbying firms must declare which government they represent and pay taxes on the income they receive from these clients. Failure to comply carries heavy penalties.

Members of Congress who lobby on behalf of foreign governments for money without adhering to these laws face harsh consequences that can end their political careers. In 2024, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison for personally lobbying on behalf of a foreign government. Menendez, who had been Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, resigned after his conviction.

The only organization effectively exempt from lobbying laws in the U.S. is AIPAC. Speaking against AIPAC, or even calling for AIPAC to be subject to FARA like any other lobbying group, has long been enough for the Israel Lobby to accuse critics of being “anti-Semitic.” But that shield of untouchability has started to crack as American public opinion shifts against Israel. AIPAC is now facing more criticism in the open.

In 2024, Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican, revealed AIPAC’s influence model in an interview with Tucker Carlson. Massie said AIPAC assigns a “monitor” or “guide” to nearly every member of Congress. These members are effectively given homework on how to take positions favorable to Israel. Massie explained that because he refused to play along, he became a target of AIPAC and was subjected to a smear campaign by Christian Zionist organizations under its influence.

Through its political action committees (PACs and Super PACs) and front groups, AIPAC funnels huge sums of money to ensure pro-Israel candidates win primary elections. Thomas Massie is one of the rare Republicans who refuses AIPAC money. He insists he is not “anti-Israel” or “anti-Jewish,” but opposes American taxpayers’ money being funneled to foreign governments. Because he also opposes U.S. involvement in Israel’s wars, Massie came under attack. Yet in the most recent primary, he defeated his AIPAC-funded Republican challenger with more than 70% of the vote.

Massie says AIPAC cannot tolerate even a single member of Congress standing outside Israel’s tent. In his view, this is because AIPAC is deeply afraid that criticism of Israel could prove contagious. Many members of Congress, he notes, refrain from criticizing Israel out of “fear of AIPAC.” Massie is calling for AIPAC to finally be brought under FARA.

Until recently, AIPAC largely operated behind the scenes in American politics, but now it is going through a painful process of having to show its face. Within both the Democratic and Republican camps, voices demanding that AIPAC be subject to lobbying laws like any other group are growing louder. Among Democrats, a grassroots “Reject AIPAC” movement has even emerged. Today, the Democratic Party faces a serious test as its grassroots push back against “dark money” and “big money” — including AIPAC’s — interfering in primary elections.