Pro-Israel lobby struggles to bring parties together ahead of annual conference
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee hasn’t made much headway on key issues such as the Iran nuclear deal and anti-boycott legislation.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 15.0px Calibri; color: #323333; -webkit-text-stroke: #323333} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s3 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0463c1; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0463c1} America’s main pro-Israel lobby is struggling to bring Democrats and Republicans together on major legislation ahead of its annual confab as bipartisan consensus on foreign policy continues to erode.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) holds its three-day policy conference starting Sunday. As in years past, the group’s lobbyists have worked with Congress to tee up legislation for the thousands of eager members coming into town to rally around. But the lobby has no concrete plans to fight the anti-Israel boycott or strengthen the Iran nuclear deal.
“It’s notable that two days before the conference they’ve had difficulty coming up with concrete asks,” a Senate staffer told Al-Monitor.
AIPAC continues to push the Senate to pass the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which bans Americans from supporting a UN plan to create a list of companies operating in the West Bank. While the bill enjoys 51 cosponsors from both parties, opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union and other free speech advocates has halted its progress.
