Thread by @BenTelAviv

I don’t speak on behalf of AIPAC or work for AIPAC, but for two years, I and other young Americans who care about the U.S.-Israel relationship served on its Young Leadership Council in New York, advancing its mission to support America’s relationship with our ally Israel. 🧵

In the wake of Jamaal Bowman’s primary congressional campaign loss to Democrat George Latimer last night, Bowman’s campaign, supporters, and fellow-travelers have begun demonizing the critical work that AIPAC’s PAC is doing to support Democrats who support our diverse and democratic ally Israel.

Jamaal Bowman and his friends have lied that AIPAC is right-wing. It is not. It is bipartisan and non-partisan, and anyone who has volunteered with, worked with, or attended events hosted by AIPAC can confirm that. Virtually all of the friends I made through AIPAC are Democrats.

Jamaal Bowman and “the Squad” lie that AIPAC targets black politicians. This is complete nonsense. AIPAC supports the campaigns of candidates who support the U.S.-Israel relationship, because the two countries have similar values and are made stronger by their partnership.

AIPAC has supported numerous black candidates in the past, still does today, and does so gladly. The Squad will never tell you that. They want you to think AIPAC is racist, and they are willing to lie to you to make you believe it. This is what they do. They have no shame.

I wasn’t the only black member of AIPAC’s Young Leadership Council. As for AIPAC’s actual employees, many of them are black — and they’re typically Democrats. The Squad doesn’t want you to know that, because The Squad depends on lies and omissions.

Democrat Jamaal Bowman lost to Democrat George Latimer because he has repeatedly lied about Israel (for example, by saying that there are streets for Jews only in Israel — straight-up lie) and denied the evil atrocities of Hamas against Jews on October 7th.

Democrat Jamaal Bowman lost to Democrat George Latimer because he demonized and ignored his own Jewish constituents for years after they voted him in, and they decided they wouldn’t do it again.

AIPAC’s PAC money was used to educate voters about Jamaal Bowman and make sure they were aware of his behavior (including his vile statements and lies about Jews and Israel) so that voters could vote with full knowledge of the choice before them. They made the correct choice.

Money in electoral politics doesn’t vote at the voting booth. Voters do. Voters reasonably no longer wanted to be represented by Democrat Jamaal Bowman, so they voted for Democrat George Latimer instead — and rightly so. That is what happened. That is the actual truth.

Finally, it’s important to consider two facts about AIPAC. Fact #1: AIPAC is an American organization, and its staff, volunteers, and donors are American. It isn’t the “Israel lobby.” It’s as American as NARAL, Emily’s List, the NRA, and the American Federation of Teachers.

Fact #2: there are other American organizations that lobby for and participate in electoral politics in support of a strong relationship between the U.S. and other countries, just like AIPAC. But you don’t hear about them. Consider worrying more about the money and organizations you don’t hear about than the money and organizations you do hear about.

I reject the lies and smears about AIPAC — especially the pathetic claims by The Squad that AIPAC is racist or anti-black. I’m proud to have served as a lay leader on AIPAC’s Young Leadership Council, and I’m proud to support the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Decent people everywhere support the U.S.-Israel relationship, and we will continue to do so. We will not be deterred by illegitimate attacks from radicals. We will not stop.

We will not stop.

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