United States CongressLeaked Documentary Exposes Israeli Lobby's Impact on Western Media, US Lawmakers

 a censored documentary has surfaced online, detailing alleged Israeli lobbying campaigns in the United States. The documentary, filmed by Al Jazeera, exposes how pro-Israeli organizations monitor the activities of American students and try to influence US lawmakers.

Electronic Intifada, an online news publication covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has obtained a never-released Al Jazeera investigation into how pro-Israeli advocacy groups influence US politics.

The four-part documentary, titled The Lobby — USA, was filmed by an Al Jazeera undercover journalist, called "Tony", who infiltrated the Israeli lobby during a five-month operation and earned the trust of its leaders.

Tony is said to have volunteered for the Israel Project, a US-based nonprofit, which he learned had contacts in numerous news agencies, such as Bloomberg, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and BuzzFeed, who worked on "neutralizing the undesired narratives".

This effort to get "special treatment" from the United States is allegedly spearheaded by senior officials in Israel, including Sima Vaknin-Gil, director general of Israel's Strategic Affairs Ministry.

"If we want to win, we have to change our ways," she was quoted as telling a gathering of the pro-Israeli lobby in Washington, DC. "And this is waging a holistic campaign against the other side."

According to the film, this effectively means dragging Israel's political opponents out of their "comfort zone" and discrediting the messenger rather than discussing the message. Specifically, this refers to the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, a campaign pressuring Israel to stop its alleged mistreatment of Palestinians.

A project called "Israel Cyber Shield" was rolled out in the US; it effectively is a cyber intelligence unit that spies on the activists of the BDS movement using state-of-the-art Israeli intelligence systems.

The investigation claims that pro-Israel groups, such as Israel on Campus Coalition, are monitoring the activities of American students, including those on social media, and alerting their partners in intelligence circles if something worrying "pops up".

The Israeli Embassy in the US, according to a recorded conversation with its former director of community affairs, is also working with several groups that train faculty, providing these groups with "funding and connections".

And a funny story took place at a meeting of a pro-Israel advocacy group when a journalist from the Algemeiner newspaper offered Tony to go undercover and spy on BDS activists on campus to report about "any potential level of danger or difficulty".

Moreover, apart from US campuses, a major effort is concentrated on wowing US congressmen who have the influence on foreign policy — and the documentary hints that Washington and Tel Aviv enjoy such a good alliance for a reason.

The undercover reporter worked for David Ochs, the founder of HaLev, an organization that helps young Jewish professionals attend the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — one of the most influential lobbyist groups in the United States.

Jim Moran, a now-retired representative from Virginia, was quoted as saying that those who have AIPAC backing and support Israel are more likely to get elected to Congress.

Ochs cited a fundraiser organized by an AIPAC-linked pro-Israel advocacy group for Anthony Brown, who is currently serving as the US Rep. from Maryland. "This is the biggest ad-hoc political group and definitely the wealthiest in DC," he said. The gathering was attended by senators and congressmen from both parties."

The meeting was apparently held to buy support from US lawmakers with under-the-table cash donations. Ochs is heard as saying: "It's the AIPAC group. It makes a difference. It really, really does. It's the best bang for your buck and the networking is phenomenal."

"Congressmen don't do anything unless you pressure them. They kick the can down the road unless you pressure them. And the only way to do that is with money."While the White House is concerned with foreign interference in its domestic affairs, accusing Russia and China of attempts to sway public opinion, recent claims that pro-Israeli lobbyists buy the favor of US lawmakers have prompted accusations of anti-Semitism.

On Monday, freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar ignited a Twitterstorm and drew condemnation from a plethora of public figures, including Nikki Haley and Chelsea Clinton, after tweeting "It's all about Benjamins baby" and "AIPAC", in reference to the Israeli lobby in the US.

https://sputniknews.com/us/201902121072353629-al-jazeeera-documentary-israeli-lobby-us/

A Chance for a New US Congress to Rethink Knee-Jerk Support for Israel

If ever there was a chance to approach members of the U.S. Congress with challenging issues, and a re-examination of oppressive Israeli behavior, this is it. These first few weeks of the new Congress are the time to take advantage of the new energy — otherwise, it will fade away.

by Miko Peled

WASHINGTON — On January 3, 2019, the winds of youth and change were evident in the halls of the U.S. House of Representatives and more particularly in the offices of some of the newly elected members. By 9 a.m. Representative Rashida Tlaib, dressed in her traditional Palestinian thobe, was already standing for pictures and a large crowd was standing in line for a photo op. Palestinians from across the U.S. came to celebrate the first Palestinian-American to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The office of Ilhan Omar too was filled with young people. Many were of Somali heritage and many of other diverse backgrounds who came to celebrate not only the first Somali-American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives but a new kind of politician, one that clearly cares about issues that touch those in need. Both Tlaib and Omar are progressive Democrats who came out publicly in support of the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions, or BDS, against the state of Israel.

A List of Challenging Issues

There are several important and urgent issues that will be raised during this promising 116th Congress. These are challenging issues because in one way or another they involve Israel. The first issue that it is hoped will make its way to the forefront is Israel’s systematic violation of the rights of Palestinian children. In the last Congress, Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced the “Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act,” or HR 4391. It is a historic bill, as it is the first bill ever to be introduced in Congress that acknowledges Palestinian rights with no pre-conditions. It calls on the U.S. secretary of state to certify that Israeli authorities will not use United States taxpayer funds to support military detention of children.

These violations by Israel, which has signed the Convention on the Rights of a Child, are well documented by DCI, or Defense of Children International; UNICEF, or The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund; and Israeli human-rights watchdog organization B’tselem.

Israeli police place a Palestinian boy in a chokehold in Jerusalem’s Old City, July 17, 2017. Mahmoud Illean | AP

It is worth noting that this bill — which seeks to protect children, or rather make sure that U.S. funds do not go to the abuse of children — received only 30 cosponsors, while HR 221, a bill to appoint an anti-Semitism envoy, was already passed with 87 cosponsors. This is a bill to appoint an envoy who will hold the rank of ambassador and advise the U.S. government on issues of anti-Semitism.

Since HR 221 was heavily supported by the ADL — the so-called Anti Defamation League, which is a racist organization dedicated to supporting Israeli violence towards Palestinians, and to spreading lies about Palestinians and Muslims, but does it under the cover of a civil rights organization — and NorPac, two heavily Zionist organizations, it is realistic to expect that this envoy will deal more with policing of anti-Zionism and criticism of Israel than actual anti-Semitism.

Another issue that has been on the forefront of all Zionist organizations and is being lobbied heavily is anti-BDS legislation. On all levels —  local, state and federal — Zionist organizations are working night and day to delegitimize the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. Members of the new Congress will have to be vigilant in making sure that anti-BDS language is not inserted into bills that otherwise seem legitimate and that if it does such bills are voted down.

The anti-BDS campaign not only is designed to stop BDS today but is a safety measure to ensure that the U.S. and its representatives will not consider supporting the Palestinian call themselves. People who believe in freedom and justice will do well to push their representatives and demand that they respect the Palestinian call to boycott, divest and impose sanctions on Israel.

Other Human Rights Issues

Israel’s human rights violations do not end with the oppression of the Palestinian people. The new draft law that forces the Haredi, or Ultra-Orthodox community, to serve in the Israeli army is a violation of human rights and religious freedom. This community, which is devoted to the Torah and its laws, resides in all parts of the world and does not recognize Israel as their state. However, those who had lived in Palestine were forced in 1948 to become Israeli citizens. They are forbidden according to their religious convictions from carrying arms and so they refuse to serve in the Israeli army. When the Haredi community protests the Israeli conscription, or when they protest the arrests of members of their community, both men and women, they are beaten and abused.

Getting members of the U.S. House of Representatives to even discuss this issue let alone demand that Israel stops abusing the religious and basic human rights of this Jewish community, is challenging at best. However, it is not impossible. The Haredi community in the U.S. is neither small nor weak and when they wish to mobilize they do so very effectively. People who care for the religious rights of minorities would do well to help this Jewish community, which rejected Zionism from its very inception. On this issue, Israel clearly fails the test of religious tolerance, even when it comes to Jewish people because they disagree with the secular, Zionist interpretation of what it means to be Jewish.

If ever there was a chance to approach members of the U.S. Congress with challenging issues, this is it — the next 60 days would be the time to do this. These first few weeks of the new Congress are the time to take advantage of the new energy — otherwise, it will fade away.

Top Photo | In this Jan. 3, 2019 photo, then Rep.-elect Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, looks to the gallery from the house floor before being sworn into the 116th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Carolyn Kaster | AP

Miko Peled is an author and human rights activist born in Jerusalem. He is the author of “The General’s Son. Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,” and “Injustice, the Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five.”