NYT: Democrats Break from AIPAC Over Gaza War

By Staff, Agencies

For years, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the House, kept cordial ties with J Street, a center-left group advocating a "two-state solution" in the Middle East, but stayed aligned with The American 'Israel' Public Affairs Committee [AIPAC], which has long funded his campaigns, without seeking J Street’s endorsement.

Last month, Jeffries accepted J Street’s support for the first time, a symbolic win for the group seeking greater influence on Capitol Hill, reported by The New York Times’ Annie Karni.

While the endorsement drew little notice in Washington, where J Street already supports the majority of Democratic lawmakers, Jeffries’s decision was notable.

The New York Democrat, often lampooned by critics as “AIPAC Shakur", had long been one of the group’s most reliable allies. His shift underscores a broader realignment among Democrats over "Israel" at a time when the war on Gaza has reshaped public opinion, Karni argued.

As support for "Israel’s" Gaza war wanes among Democrats, AIPAC’s influence is eroding. Some lawmakers are rejecting its donations, and fewer Democrats attend its annual "Israel" trip.

Even in the Senate, where bipartisan support for "Israel" has long been entrenched, a majority of Democrats have recently voted for legislation curtailing US arms sales to "Israel", directly opposing AIPAC’s stance.

AIPAC remains powerful, spending over $23 million last year to unseat progressives Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman, critics of unconditional US aid to "Israel". It also invested $1 million in Oregon to help Maxine Dexter defeat Susheela Jayapal, sister of progressive leader Pramila Jayapal.

Even Dexter, a former AIPAC beneficiary, recently opposed weapons transfers to "Israel" and co-sponsored legislation linking arms sales to human rights. AIPAC hasn’t endorsed her this cycle.

The shift reflects changing public opinion and growing rifts between Democrats and Netanyahu. While AIPAC calls the Gaza conflict a “just and moral” war against Hamas, polls show more Americans—especially Democrats—sympathize with Palestinians and criticize "Israel’s" aggression.

J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami said they’ve reached a tipping point, criticizing AIPAC’s unwavering support for "Israel" as hitting a wall after recent Gaza events.

AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann argued most Democrats still see supporting "Israel" as “good politics and good policy,” citing last year’s 422-6 House vote against cutting $500 million in defense aid as evidence.

AIPAC’s powerful educational trips to “Israel” have seen a sharp decline in Democratic attendance. In 2023, 24 House Democrats, including Jeffries, participated, but this year only 11 of 33 first-term Democrats went, with some withdrawing due to constituent backlash.

The political shift isn’t just among Democrats. On the right, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the Gaza campaign a “genocide” and pushed to cut US defense funding for "Israel"—a move that failed but revealed Republican unease.

Greene has described AIPAC’s trips to "Israel" as attempts to “pull you in because they want to pull you on their side,” even as the group weighs targeting her in a future primary.

In all, the developments point to a significant recalibration of "Israel’s" place in American politics, as per the author.

While AIPAC continues to wield deep resources and influence, its once unchallenged dominance within the Democratic Party is facing an unprecedented test as lawmakers respond to a rapidly shifting electorate.