$100 million<\/a> during the 2024 cycle to help elect pro-Israel candidates, eyeing the demise of progressives it has deemed hostile to Israel. Among the targets are Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who face competitive primary challengers. Schumer, a longtime friend of AIPAC and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, is not up for reelection until 2028 and even then, would be a highly unlikely target.<\/p>\nSo far, he doesn\u2019t seem worried about ruffling feathers.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy decades long relationship with AIPAC goes beyond any one president and any one Prime Minister,\u201d Schumer said in a statement to POLITICO. \u201cWe both share a deeply rooted love for Israel and the common goal to preserving the bipartisan support for Israel. We will continue to work together to strengthen and support the U.S.-Israel bond.\u201d<\/p>\n
One former Schumer aide, granted anonymity to speak freely about an old boss, said Schumer\u2019s remarks appeared to be marketed toward \u201cdomestic consumption, [rather] than international consumption.\u201d The speech seemed political, given the level of concern about Israel\u2019s actions within his caucus, the former staffer said.<\/p>\n
Democrats are under increasing pressure from their base to push back on the Israeli government, whose bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians. Hundreds of thousands of Democrats voted \u201cuncommitted\u201d in primary contests across the country in recent weeks as a rebuke to President Joe Biden\u2019s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.<\/p>\n
\u201c[AIPAC] recognizes that Schumer has a left flank problem just like the Israel lobby has a left flank problem,\u201d said one Democratic consultant who works with major Jewish donors, granted anonymity to discuss the issue candidly. \u201cYou stick with the guy who\u2019s always been with you, but you also let him have the breathing room to say what he needs to say if it helps him with his left flank.\u201d<\/p>\n
Biden, whose staff was given advance notice of Schumer\u2019s remarks, has declined to distance himself from the Senate majority leader on the issue. On Friday, the president said Schumer had delivered a \u201cgood speech\u201d and shared the same sentiments as many Americans.<\/p>\n
One strategist who works with several Jewish groups said there\u2019s been private support within the community for Schumer\u2019s remarks, although some have questioned his timing.<\/p>\n
But certainly AIPAC would have to be \u201cliving under a rock to not be aware of just how toxic and unpopular Netanyahu is both in the United States and in Israel,\u201d the person said.<\/p>\n
AIPAC is also sophisticated enough to know that its relationships with Democratic leadership depends on whether those leaders can maintain the support of voters, said one former Democratic Senate aide who has worked with AIPAC. Schumer\u2019s relationship with AIPAC has always been \u201cstrong, resolute, frank and open,\u201d the person added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey understand bare-knuckle politics and how it works,\u201d the person said. \u201cTrue career-long relationships are not done away with, with one statement, one vote, or one policy position.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not the first time AIPAC has had to walk a fine line working within America\u2019s centers of power.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the progressive pro-Israel group J Street, pointed to a previous confrontation between AIPAC and Democrats: The Iran nuclear deal of 2015 intended to stymie Iran\u2019s nuclear capabilities, an effort against which AIPAC aggressively campaigned.<\/p>\n
At the time, Schumer was forced to navigate that tension between AIPAC and a Democratic administration, and he ultimately voted against the Iran deal. Meanwhile, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, then chair of the Democratic National Committee, endorsed the deal. AIPAC has continued to support her.<\/p>\n
\u201c[AIPAC said], \u2018If you, God forbid, vote for this thing and support [Barack] Obama on this deal, we will never speak to you again, we will run candidates [against] you, never raise another dollar,\u2019\u201d said Ben-Ami, whose group has long been sharply critical of AIPAC. \u201cThen they did speak to them again, they didn\u2019t run candidates against them. I think there\u2019s a lot of bark here, not as much bite.\u201d<\/p>\n