{"id":36752,"date":"2021-01-23T07:57:14","date_gmt":"2021-01-23T15:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.antiwar.com\/blog\/?p=36752"},"modified":"2021-01-23T07:57:14","modified_gmt":"2021-01-23T15:57:14","slug":"biden-could-reverse-six-harmful-israel-policies-with-the-only-power-that-stops-israels-lobby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.antiwar.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/23\/biden-could-reverse-six-harmful-israel-policies-with-the-only-power-that-stops-israels-lobby\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden Could Reverse Six Harmful Israel Policies… With the Only Power That Stops Israel’s Lobby"},"content":{"rendered":"

Public confrontations with the Israel lobby\u2019s systemic encroachments are the only means for politicians to beat it. In 2020 Minnesota Representative Betty McCollum <\/i>stopped<\/i><\/a> a massive coordinated Israel lobby media smear campaign in its tracks by accurately labeling AIPAC as a "hate group." Biden has the power to do the same, but unfortunately his entire career has been in servitude to injustice when it comes to Israel Palestine. <\/i><\/p>\n

The Biden administration assumes power claiming it will reverse Trump administration policies it claims are harmful to Americans and the rest of the world. Biden will end the so-called Muslim ban \u2013 Executive order 13769 \u2013 on travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The US will rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change and cancel the Keystone XL pipeline. Biden will issue mask mandates, extend moratoriums on evictions and even rejoin the World Health Organization.<\/p>\n

Absent from the announced Biden 100-day program are any proposed reversals of Israel policies implemented by the Trump administration that seriously harm the United States and rest of the world. Rolling back those policies would require bucking the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) which closely coordinates its activities with the Israeli government. One way to corral AIPAC would be to actually enforce the 1962 Department of Justice order that AIPAC register as an Israeli foreign agent<\/a>.<\/p>\n


An easier and more proven tactic to disentangle the U.S. from harmful Israel lobby policies is going public with grievances. George H.W. Bush did it when fighting to withhold loan guarantees to Israel which was continuing to build settlements on Palestinian land. Barack Obama also did it in a speech when he laid out the facts. By opposing the JCPOA, or Iran nuclear deal, Israel and its lobby were essentially demanding that the US go to war with Iran, claimed Obama. Americans overwhelmingly agreed with him. If Israel and its lobby decide to whip up another phony crisis, Biden could immediately take it to the court of public opinion rather than suffer in silence.<\/p>\n

A long public and private battle against AIPAC \u2013 which has become increasingly belligerent<\/a> over the decades \u2013 could create breathing room for pursuing productive, rather than exclusively Israeli, policies in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

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I had a great discussion this evening with the @AIPAC<\/a> Board of Directors. Now more than ever we need to work together to strengthen the strategic alliance and deep friendship between Israel and the United States.<\/p>\n

I look forward to welcoming them to Israel in person soon. pic.twitter.com\/vlAzpKu2Lo<\/a><\/p>\n

— ???? ???? – Yair Lapid?? (@yairlapid) January 12, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n