On June 16, as Benjamin Netanyahu continued his year-long defiance of Joe Biden over the warfare in Gaza, eight U.S. Home members and two staffers arrived at Tel Aviv’s luxurious Kempinski Lodge for a four-day immersion in Israeli politics.
The lawmakers and aides toured the nation and met with a lineup of audio system largely aligned with the Israeli prime minister’s conservative views — together with Netanyahu himself.
The journey, like a whole lot of others over the previous decade, was hosted by the nonprofit arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. AIPAC, which calls itself “America’s pro-Israel lobby,” is among the most influential lobbyist organizations within the U.S. and promotes the Israeli authorities’s agenda.
After a roughly five-month pause following the Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel by Hamas, the AIPAC journeys have continued apace this yr, with eight journeys by 71 Home members and staffers from March via early September. Barely extra Republicans traveled with AIPAC’s nonprofit arm in that interval than Democrats.
Now, as lawmakers face strain from either side on U.S. assist — with critics like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) calling for a halt to arms gross sales within the face of Israel’s Lebanon offensive and supporters corresponding to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) demanding extra funding for Israel to beef up its defenses — members are drawing on the teachings from their AIPAC journey to form their views.
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), who’s taken two AIPAC journeys since September 2023 and who benefited from $6 million in impartial expenditures from AIPAC in his first run for Congress in 2022 — mentioned his time in Israel has been invaluable in understanding a key U.S. partnership.
“It’s useful to try and get out and see things firsthand,” he mentioned. On the June journey, for example, Ivey mentioned essentially the most highly effective moments he skilled have been assembly with hostages’ households and visiting the situation of the music pageant the place scores of civilians have been killed or wounded.
“It was a very somber trip,” Ivey mentioned. “There’s no question about that.”
Whereas AIPAC is well-known for sponsoring journeys for lawmakers and aides to Israel in an effort to construct help for the Jewish state, the complete extent of that journey has not been clear till now.
A brand new evaluation of 1000’s of data reveals that, thanks largely to AIPAC’s nonprofit arm, Israel is much and away the No. 1 vacation spot for privately sponsored international journey by members of the Home and their aides.
Greater than 1 / 4 of the roughly 4,100 privately sponsored international journeys they’ve reported taking since 2012 have been for journey to Israel, in accordance with a examine by the Howard Heart for Investigative Journalism on the College of Maryland, which is publishing its findings in partnership with POLITICO.
That’s extra journeys to Israel than to your complete Western Hemisphere and the continent of Africa mixed.
The Howard Heart created a database of all Home journey over the last decade. Every of the roughly 17,000 journeys represents journey by one U.S. Home consultant or staffer, both alone or as a part of a delegation and typically with a member of the family. The overwhelming majority of journeys — at the least three in 4 — have been taken by staffers, who play vital roles in shaping coverage and drafting laws.
The a lot smaller Senate reported greater than 2,600 journeys throughout the identical interval, however Senate disclosure kinds don’t present sponsors or locations in a format that may be readily analyzed.
Along with journey disclosures, nonprofit tax data and lobbying registrations, the Howard Heart examination of Home journey used knowledge collected by OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan authorities watchdog group, and by LegiStorm, a public affairs data platform, to doc the intensive hyperlinks between lobbyists and journey sponsors.
Critics preserve the journeys have left lawmakers with a one-sided understanding of U.S.-Israel relations and the Israeli-Palestinian battle — one which magnifies the hardline insurance policies of the present Israeli authorities.
“Whoever frames the discussion wins the debate,” mentioned former Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.), a progressive Jewish politician and critic of AIPAC, which helped orchestrate his defeat in 2022.
The overwhelming majority of journeys to Israel — about 75 p.c — have been sponsored by AIPAC’s charitable affiliate, the American Israel Schooling Basis.
AIPAC’s use of AIEF permits it to legally get round a 2007 regulation that limits lobbyists’ direct involvement in most privately sponsored journey. An exception within the regulation permits some 501(c)(3) organizations corresponding to AIEF to sponsor journey. AIPAC lobbied for this exception and it’s recognized by some because the “AIPAC loophole.” With out the exception, AIPAC could be restricted to sponsoring one-day journeys as a corporation that employs lobbyists.
Whereas different organizations have taken benefit of the loophole, none have contributed greater than AIPAC to what U.S. representatives and Home employees see and what messages they hear on journeys to Israel and the occupied West Financial institution.
AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann declined a number of requests for interviews however in a written assertion responded to what he described because the Howard Heart’s “false characterizations about our trips.”
Wittmann wrote:
“AIEF-sponsored journeys assist educate bipartisan political leaders in regards to the significance of the U.S.-Israel relationship via firsthand experiences in Israel, briefings by consultants on Center East affairs, and conferences with Israeli leaders from throughout the political spectrum.
“The journeys are uniquely coverage centered and complete on a big selection of points regarding US-Israel cooperation together with regional safety, know-how, well being and science.
“Within the aftermath of the horrific Hamas assault of October seventh, these journeys present Members of Congress with a deeper understanding of the threats that Israel faces from Iranian terrorist proxies on its borders.
“Members of Congress have indicated that they found these trips very useful giving them a unique perspective on challenges facing the US and our ally Israel in a critical region.”
Journeys to Israel are just one piece of a multipronged technique for selling Israel’s pursuits. AIPAC hosts an annual convention for elected officers within the Washington, D.C., space, which former Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) referred to as the “largest gathering of members of Congress” aside from the State of the Union.
The group spent over $3 million on lobbying final yr, and its spending in 2024 presently locations it among the many high 3 p.c of all lobbyist teams tracked by OpenSecrets. Its PAC and tremendous PAC additionally helped funnel a mixed $50.9 million into the 2022 election cycle alone, in accordance with OpenSecrets.
Nonetheless, AIPAC’s prolific recruitment of members and employees for journey to Israel — journey which value at the least $10 million, in accordance with LegiStorm knowledge for 2012-2023 — demonstrates the significance AIPAC locations on its journey program. In response to the Howard Heart’s evaluation, roughly half of the present members of the Home have traveled with the group since 2012.
Amongst them is the first-term congressman Ivey, who defeated former Rep. Donna Edwards in a 2022 major wherein AIPAC’s tremendous PAC spent $6 million on his behalf.
Ivey’s first journey was with eight different members of the Congressional Black Caucus. They arrived in Jerusalem on Sept. 2, 2023, a month earlier than the Oct. 7 assaults by Hamas. They met with high-ranking Israeli officers, however a key perspective was lacking from the journey, he mentioned in an interview.
The itinerary included a gathering with a Palestinian-Israeli peace activist, “but not people in Gaza, and not the Palestinian Authority,” Ivey mentioned. “So, heavy focus on Israel and Israeli politics.”
Ivey’s second AIPAC go to was the June journey, which along with a concentrate on Israeli politics included a number of periods on the Oct. 7, 2023 assaults. Ivey mentioned that once they arrived in Israel, the airport “was lined with the faces of hostages that have been taken.”
Though Ivey mentioned that the group met with Palestinian-Israelis, the journey didn’t embody a go to to Gaza or to the West Financial institution.
Like prior journeys sponsored by AIEF earlier than Oct. 7, Ivey and the remainder of the delegation additionally met with high-ranking Israeli officers together with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Minister of Protection Yoav Gallant, and chief of the Nationwide Unity Occasion Benny Gantz, in accordance with the itinerary included in his disclosure kinds.
However on this journey, Ivey mentioned, “the focus was totally different.”
Throughout his September 2023 journey, he mentioned there was a stronger concentrate on “trying to figure out… potential paths to a two-state solution.”
When requested whether or not the potential for a two-state answer was nonetheless a subject of dialog or consideration this June, Ivey mentioned he isn’t purported to share the particulars of the conferences.
However, he added, outdoors of the U.S., “there’s a lot of folks who doubt that that’s a possibility.”
“I think that’s true in Israel. I think that’s true… among many Palestinians,” he mentioned. “Many people doubt or have questions about whether it is still a realistic option.”
Collectively, AIPAC’s nonprofit arm spent $68,000 to underwrite Ivey’s two journeys, which included luxurious lodging. Ivey was joined by his spouse on his first journey — a singular AIEF journey that introduced 9 Home members of the Congressional Black Caucus to Israel and Rwanda to debate the connection between Israel, Rwanda and the U.S.
Ivey mentioned individuals haven’t questioned whether or not his journey on AIEF’s dime has influenced his positions. “They focus more on the $7 million in independent expenditures in my election. My view is that, you know, it’s fair game, it’s all publicly disclosed, people can take a look and draw their own decisions. And as far as I know, we follow the rules.”
In response to FEC knowledge, AIPAC’s tremendous PAC — United Democracy Venture — spent $6 million in impartial expenditures throughout Ivey’s 2022 major. Ivey’s marketing campaign additionally benefited from roughly $750,000 of contributions that supporters despatched via one other AIPAC affiliate, and over $400,000 in outdoors spending from one other pro-Israel group, The Democratic Majority for Israel.
Ivey voted for the Israel navy assist package deal April 20, which his employees mentioned mirrored each his need to assist Israel defend itself and to make sure the stream of further humanitarian assist to Gaza. He voted in opposition to a November model of the invoice that didn’t embody assist for Gaza.
Edwards (D-Md.), who served in Congress from 2008 to 2017, refused to journey with AIPAC whereas in workplace and as an alternative visited Israel, the occupied West Financial institution and Gaza with extra liberal organizations, together with the pro-Israel advocacy group J Avenue.
She mentioned touring with J Avenue, she noticed firsthand how the unfold of Israeli settlements all through the West Financial institution have turn out to be a critical impediment to a two-state answer.
“You can see how antithetical that is to a desire for a two-state solution. Where in the world would you draw the two states?” Edwards mentioned.
In response to itineraries and interviews, vacationers on AIPAC journeys meet fewer Palestinians than on J Avenue journeys.
The Howard Heart contacted greater than 30 present and former members of the Home and Home employees who traveled to Israel between 2012 and 2023, together with 23 members and staffers who traveled with AIPAC at the least as soon as. The one AIPAC vacationers who agreed to an interview have been Ivey and Baird, whose 1999 AIPAC journey just isn’t captured within the Howard Heart database.
Amongst those that declined requests for an interview have been Rep. Mike Levin, a Democrat from California, and Democratic Chief Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Levin traveled to Israel thrice between 2012 and 2023, twice with AIPAC and as soon as with J Avenue.
In that very same interval, Jeffries traveled to Israel 4 occasions with AIPAC, most lately main a Democratic delegation in August 2023.
In his 2022 disclosure report, Levin mentioned the U.S.-Israel relationship “is an issue that my constituents raise with me, and the trip to the country will help me make decisions informed by the situation on the ground.”
In the meantime Jeffries mentioned in his 2023 disclosure report, “As the Democratic leader of the U.S. Congress, I have been asked to engage in my leadership capacity in issues related to the US-Israel relationship for this trip. These issues — as outlined by AIEF — are connected to my leadership and representational official duties.”
Each Levin’s and Jeffries’ communication groups didn’t reply to requests for an interview or remark.
AIPAC takes the place that to be pro-Israel means supporting the Israeli authorities, which for a lot of the twenty first century has meant supporting the right-wing polices of Prime Minister Netanyahu, mentioned Dov Waxman, professor and director of the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Heart for Israel Research.
Among the many achievements touted on its web site, AIPAC credit its efforts lately for Congress’ continued funding of billions in unconditional navy and safety help to Israel and for elevated sanctions on Iran. AIPAC has additionally lobbied Congress to restrict people’ and corporations’ talents to take part within the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) marketing campaign in opposition to Israeli firms and helps Israel persevering with the warfare in Gaza till Hamas’ navy and authorities are dismantled.
For the primary a number of many years of its existence, AIPAC was “unrivaled within the pro-Israel lobby,” in accordance with Waxman. However he mentioned the emergence and development of the extra liberal J Avenue threatens to erode AIPAC’s affect.
J Avenue was based in 2007 and has sponsored congressional journey to Israel since 2010. It was the second-largest sponsor of journey to Israel from 2012-2023.
But the amount of journey sponsored by J Avenue — which equally identifies as pro-Israel however is extra open to criticizing the Israeli authorities — is surpassed practically seven occasions over throughout that interval. AIPAC has additionally tried to take care of its dominance on the Hill, and as a journey sponsor, by portray J Avenue as anti-Israel — a characterization that each Waxman and J Avenue dispute.
Even when masking the identical floor, AIPAC and J Avenue journey contributors reported markedly totally different experiences. In February 2022, two AIPAC delegations — one Democratic and one Republican — and a Democratic J Avenue delegation visited Israel and the West Financial institution on the identical time, with each Democratic teams even staying in the identical resort. The teams met individually with Mohammad Shtayyeh, the then-Palestinian Authority prime minister.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) had traveled to Israel with AIPAC in 2013, however this time he traveled with J Avenue. In a YouTube video posted by J Avenue, Huffman mentioned he traded notes along with his colleagues touring with AIPAC after the conferences with Shtayyeh. Shtayyeh’s use of the phrase “apartheid” drew contrasting responses, he mentioned.
“They were there to some extent to do pro-Israel combat and I think we were there to listen and learn,” mentioned Huffman within the YouTube video.
Huffman didn’t reply to requests for an interview.
One of many solely sponsors of congressional journeys to the area that focuses on conferences with Palestinian households dwelling in Jerusalem and the occupied West Financial institution is the small group Rebuilding Alliance.
4 teams of Home staffers — and no members — traveled there between 2018 and 2023 with the group, which took them to witness Israeli navy court docket proceedings in opposition to Palestinian youngsters and to fulfill with Palestinian households whose houses had been destroyed by the Israeli navy.
Nisreen Malley, senior advocacy coordinator at Rebuilding Alliance, mentioned, “When you’re physically [visiting someone] who’s talking to you about how their home was demolished … it’s hard to ignore that when you’re thinking about your policies.”
Andy Levin argues the size of Congress’ concentrate on — and journey to — Israel total has precipitated the U.S. to lose sight of different key worldwide points.
![Nisreen Malley, senior advocacy coordinator at Rebuilding Alliance, said, “When you're physically [visiting someone] who's talking to you about how their home was demolished … it's hard to ignore that when you're thinking about your policies.”](https://static.politico.com/ec/53/dd315145402ca87c4d0467bbffd3/03-ofer-military-prison-donna-baranski-walker-feb-2022.jpg)
“Israel and Palestine are very important,” he mentioned. “But so are Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. … Obviously, Asia — South Asia, East Asia — there are many important conflicts and difficult conflicts and economic opportunities.”
Baird agreed.
“I think we’ve neglected our own hemisphere, and to our detriment, because the Russians and the Chinese surely have not neglected our hemisphere,” Baird mentioned. “The focus on the Middle East takes the oxygen out of the room for so many other issues.”
Aidan Hughes, Cait Kelley and Daryl Perry are reporters for the College of Maryland’s Howard Faculty for Investigative Journalism. POLITICO’s Mike Zapler contributed to this report.
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