Lawmaker's Israel report attracts scrutiny from AIPAC in Michigan Democratic major

The largest pro-Israel lobbying group in the US is sharpening its assaults on Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan, a progressive lawmaker searching for reelection in a suburban enclave of Detroit.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, has focused Levin over his criticism of Israel and political alignment with “the Squad,” a left-wing group of pro-Palestinian lawmakers. The barbs are a part of a broader effort by the group, which advocates a robust U.S.-Israel relationship, to defeat the small however rising variety of Israel critics operating for Congress, largely in Democratic primaries.

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Levin, the scion of a distinguished household in Michigan politics, is operating within the Aug. 2 Democratic race for the state's deep-blue eleventh Congressional District, the place successful the social gathering's nomination is tantamount to victory in November.

He is vying for a similar seat as Rep. Haley Stevens, a fellow Democrat first elected to the Home in 2018 together with Levin, after the contours of Michigan's Home districts had been scrambled within the decennial line-redrawing course of. The state misplaced a seat as a consequence of comparatively sluggish inhabitants development over the previous decade, slicing its Home delegation from 14 to 13 members.

A big flashpoint within the Democrat-on-Democrat battle up to now has been assist for Israel. Regardless of Levin insisting that he's pro-Israel, Stevens and her supporters, most notably AIPAC, have tried to place him on the defensive on the problem.

AIPAC used the current Israeli vacation of Jerusalem Day to assault Levin for sponsoring laws final 12 months that might require the U.S. to confer with East Jerusalem, and the West Financial institution and Gaza extra broadly, as occupied Palestinian territory in official paperwork.

The vacation commemorates Israel capturing East Jerusalem, which was underneath Jordanian management for nearly 20 years, within the Six-Day Conflict of 1967. Israel annexed the territory in 1980.

“For 19 years, Jews had been minimize off from their holiest websites in Jerusalem. On today 55 years in the past, Israel reunited the town and Jews once more had entry to their holy websites,” AIPAC tweeted Tuesday.

“Now, @Andy_Levin is rewriting historical past and needs to chop the Western Wall from Israel,” the group continued, referring to Judaism’s holiest prayer web site. “That’s not pro-Israel.”

Hadar Susskind, the president of People for Peace Now, defended Levin, claiming that AIPAC is not sincerely desirous about a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian battle. His nonprofit group, just like the United Nations, believes that a lasting peace would require Israel to return to its 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem underneath Palestinian management.

"@Andy_Levin believes in a 2SS. @AIPAC pretends to take action as nicely however, in contrast to Andy who's prepared to really do one thing about it, AIPAC loves limitless occupation," Susskind tweeted.

Levin, who served because the president of a synagogue earlier than operating for workplace, has defended himself towards assaults that he’s not pro-Israel by pointing to his vote to replenish Israel’s Iron Dome protection system. Levin has additionally come out towards the boycott, divestment, and sanctions motion embraced by many progressives.

However he has been outspoken on the Israeli authorities’s remedy of Palestinians as nicely and has defended fierce critics of Israel, resembling Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who represents Michigan’s thirteenth District.

A former AIPAC president raised eyebrows earlier this 12 months when he referred to as Levin "arguably essentially the most corrosive member of Congress to the U.S.-Israel relationship," citing the Levin household's political clout in addition to the congressman's "extremely problematic laws."

Levin’s invoice, titled the “Two-State Resolution Act,” would forestall U.S. safety help to Israel from getting used to additional “occupation or annexation” within the West Financial institution and Gaza and would require that items created in these areas not say “Made in Israel.” The laws just isn't anticipated to cross Congress.

Stevens, Levin’s centrist opponent, has pledged to be a stalwart defender of Israel, incomes her the endorsement of not simply AIPAC, however the advocacy teams Democratic Majority for Israel and Professional-Israel America as nicely. The assist might show influential in a district that covers nearly all of metro Detroit’s Jewish neighborhood.

AIPAC pointed to Levin's invoice when requested why the group was taking sides within the race.

"We assist Consultant Stevens as a result of she has a robust and constant report of standing with America’s ally, Israel — whereas her opponent doesn't," an AIPAC spokesman advised the Washington Examiner in an announcement. "As an example, her opponent has launched unfair and unbalanced laws that places the first blame for the Israel-Palestinian battle on Israel. This laws additionally opens the door to conditioning safety help to Israel at a time when it faces harmful threats."

Levin's marketing campaign didn't reply to a request for remark.

AIPAC’s political operation has poured hundreds of thousands into races throughout the nation this election cycle, elevating round $300,000 for Stevens within the eleventh District. The investments are the primary time within the lobbying group's almost 60-year historical past that it is giving monetary assist to candidates, suggesting AIPAC fears its affect in Congress is waning, particularly in Democratic quarters.

Help for Israel among the many public at massive stays excessive — 75% have a good view of the Jewish state, in response to a current Gallup ballot — although a rising share of individuals say their sympathies lie extra with the Palestinians within the Arab-Israeli battle: 25%, up from 19% in 2018.

The shifting sentiment is mirrored within the Squad's small however rising affect in Congress. The progressive lawmakers' vocal criticism of Israel has led to accusations of antisemitism. But it surely has additionally placed on show a rift throughout the Democratic Celebration over method relations with the U.S. ally.

Most just lately, the lawmakers made headlines by proposing a decision recognizing the "Nakba," an Arabic phrase which means "disaster," referring to the occasions surrounding Israel's founding that led to the displacement of Palestinians.

AIPAC has had combined leads to the early primaries. The group helped to defeat Squad-backed candidate Nida Allam in North Carolina's 4th District major final month however did not take down progressive favourite Summer time Lee regardless of spending almost $3 million in Pennsylvania’s twelfth District major. Incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar, AIPAC's candidate in Texas's twenty eighth District major, leads in a too-close-to-call race towards his progressive opponent, Jessica Cisneros, during which the 2 are separated by fewer than 300 votes. Cisneros has filed for a recount.

J Avenue, the liberal however smaller counterpart to AIPAC, has supported most of the progressive candidates AIPAC is opposing this cycle. In Michigan’s eleventh District race, it has fundraised greater than $195,000 for Levin.

Levin has worn the AIPAC assaults as a badge of honor. Earlier this 12 months, the group endorsed three dozen sitting Republicans who voted towards certifying the 2020 election for Joe Biden, one thing Levin and different progressives have used to color the foyer group as excessive.

“Group Levin is proud to not be on an inventory that features members of Congress who actively assist Trump’s rebellion and refuse to guard voting rights," Levin spokeswoman Jenny Byer advised the Detroit News when AIPAC endorsed Stevens in March.

Days later, Jewish Insider added gas to the fireplace with a report discovering Levin's marketing campaign itself accepted round $55,000 from PACs that donated to such GOP lawmakers. Levin pledged to donate the cash to an abortion rights group in response.

AIPAC referred to as the transfer disingenuous, saying Levin was "pretending to be virtuous solely after being uncovered as a hypocrite," and has usually countered the declare it helps "insurrectionists" by noting it has endorsed candidates throughout the political spectrum. Following the blowback, AIPAC launched a letter arguing that “that is no second for the pro-Israel motion to grow to be selective about its mates.”

Dylan Williams, a senior vp at J Avenue, repeated Levin’s "insurrectionist" line of assault on Tuesday in response to the AIPAC tweet.

The Left has backed Levin not just for his stance on Israel, but additionally for his bona fides as a progressive lawmaker, specifically his vocal assist for organized labor.

Levin comes from a political dynasty in Michigan; he succeeded his father, Sander Levin, in representing Michigan’s ninth District after he retired in 2019 following 36 years within the Home. Rep. Levin is the nephew of the late Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, who represented Michigan within the Senate for 36 years.