ABSTRACT
According to its detractors, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is an all-powerful lobby that is concerned only with advancing the interests of Israel and uses its influence to persuade US decision-makers to adopt policies that undermine the national security of the United States.1 AIPAC denies that it has such power, or that it acts nefariously, but does tell prospective donors and its members that it is the second most powerful lobby in Washington – the most powerful foreign policy lobby – and that its actions strengthen the relationship between Israel and the United States, an alliance that also bolsters America’s national interests. More recently, a new group of critics have emerged who attack AIPAC for allegedly stifling debate within the pro-Israel community and blindly supporting Israeli government positions that are contrary to the interests of Israel and the United States.2
