Criticize Israel, Lose Your Political Career

Rep. Jamaal Bowman is poised to lose the Democratic primary for New York’s 16th district after AIPAC spent a record $14.5 million to punish him for his outspoken criticism of Israel.

(Graham Dickie/The New York Times)

If you criticize Israel, say goodbye to your political career. 

That’s the unsubtle message the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), its supporters, and many donors in the Democratic establishment are sending even though a majority of voters want a ceasefire and disapprove of Israel’s actions. 

Democratic House Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a former principal who ousted establishment darling Eliot Engel in 2020 to become the first Black representative of New York’s 16th district, is about to learn this lesson on Tuesday. An AIPAC-affiliated super PAC, the anodyne-sounding “United Democracy Project”, has spent a historic $14.5 million - up to $17,000 an hour according to the New York Times - in a Democratic primary race for the 16th district, which is still segregated by race and class divisions. AIPAC’s hand-picked candidate George Latimer is a millionaire lovingly known as the “Cher” of Westchester County due to his 35 years spent in state and local government. He represents the more white, suburban, and wealthy counties, whereas Bowman’s base is mostly people of color and the middle class. According to polls, Latimer is poised to beat Bowman. Hillary Clinton has gone all-in for Latimer, even as he refuses to apologize for his numerous racist dog whistles against Bowman, which includes claiming he has an “obvious ethnic benefit” in the race and his “constituents are in Dearborn,” referring to the Michigan city with the largest number of Arab Americans.

It’s good to have a super PAC sugar daddy and the former Democratic Presidential candidate in your corner to ensure victory. 

If Jamaal Bowman had never visited the occupied West Bank, he might not have emerged as one of the most outspoken and passionate critics of Israel’s apartheid policies. He represents a growing shift in the Democratic base, where young and progressive members are openly critical of Israel. The widespread college campus protests for a permanent ceasefire in the spring were multi-faith, multi-racial, and in some cases led by Jews who said, “Not in our name.” It also bears noting that 51% of American Jews believe the US should withhold arms from Israel (one of the many demands by protestors) and 30% believe that Israel is currently engaging in genocide according to a May survey by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. 

Instead of urging Israel to end the occupation, stop settlements, and pursue a permanent ceasefire, AIPAC and its allies would rather crush critics with an avalanche of money and bad-faith smear campaigns. Ahead of the 2022 midterms, AIPAC formed its super PAC and spent $26 million going after progressives, mostly Democrats of Color who were critical of Israel. AIPAC’s super PAC has already spent $1.5 million going after Rep. Cori Bush and has vowed to spend $100 million to defeat candidates “they deem insufficiently supportive of Israel.” According to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an AIPAC representative was open to giving her $100,000 to “start the conversation” and essentially buy her silence. Thankfully, she refused. 

Meanwhile, AIPAC has no problem investing in GOP bigots, insurrectionists, and anti-semites like Rep. Elise Stefanik (also from New York). Rep. Stefanik cares so much about fighting anti-semitism that she spent money promoting the white supremacist “replacement theory” to galvanize her base even though she knows that conspiracy theory has radicalized terrorists to commit violence against Jews, Muslims, Black people, and Latinos. However, that’s perfectly fine with AIPAC because she supports Israel. She delivered scalps during her campaign against university leaders, such as former Harvard President Dr. Claudine Gay, who were allegedly allowing anti-semitism to flourish on college campuses. 

So, why should the rest of us care who don’t live in New York’s 16th district or might not be favorable towards some of Bowman’s progressive policies and strident criticisms of Israel? Because this race represents all that is wrong with modern American politics after the insidious Citizens United Supreme Court decision that unleashed super PAC money to influence and buy our democracy. Powerful interest groups and billionaires will groom elected officials - much like Supreme Court Justice Thomas - to hand deliver policies that suit them even if they are unpopular, dangerous, and hostile to human rights, equity, justice, and the environment. Also, as Israel’s government is trending more hostile and extreme, Bowman’s loss will send a powerful chilling effect across the country: if you cross AIPAC, your political career is doomed - even with the “most extreme” Israeli government, according to President Biden. Step in line and keep your mouth shut, even as a majority of Biden supporters believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza with US money and weapons. 

This might be good for AIPAC and hard-right supporters of Israel, but it isn’t good for democracy. Also, it isn’t good for Israel in the long run. If anything, it’s a pyrrhic victory. How long will the majority, and progressives of color, sit back and allow AIPAC to bulldoze their representatives and leaders? You can only sandbag for so long until enough people refuse to bend the knee. Clearly, it all trends in the wrong direction and will further divide a fragile multicultural coalition, which includes Jews and people of color, and is needed to thwart rising right-wing authoritarianism.

A temporary “scalp” might not be worth it.