US congressman says returning AIPAC donations over its support for Israeli regime

A prominent US lawmaker has announced he will return donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), condemning the group’s continued support for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Congressman Seth Moulton announced on Thursday to distance himself from AIPAC, the powerful pro-Zionist lobbying group in the United States. 

“In recent years, AIPAC has aligned itself too closely with prime minister Netanyahu’s government,” Moulton said in a statement on social media.

“I support Israel’s right to exist, but I’ve also never been afraid to disagree openly with AIPAC when I believe they’re wrong,” Moulton said.

“I’m a friend of Israel, but not of its current government, and AIPAC’s mission today is to back that government,” he added. “I don’t support that direction.”

Elsewhere in the post, Moulton also said that he is “cautiously optimistic” that the peace deal Israel and the Hamas resistance movement agreed to last week will bring the conflict to an end.

Moulton also said he would not accept further donations from the notorious Israeli lobby group and would return donations he had already received.

He is slated to challenge progressive Senator Ed Markey in next year’s Democratic primaries, ahead of the midterm elections.

According to OpenSecrets, individuals affiliated with AIPAC donated $32,850 to Moulton’s campaign in 2023 and 2024, while the group itself donated $10,000, totaling $42,850.

Noise protest bombards AIPAC as Israel destroys Gaza City

As Israel invades Gaza City, a noise protest was held at the headquarters of AIPAC

That makes AIPAC the top contributor to Moulton’s campaign over the previous two years.

Moulton’s campaign is in the process of returning $35,000 in AIPAC donations.

All refunds will be reflected on the campaign’s 2025 report, due Jan. 31, 2026.

The move by Moulton, a strong supporter of Israel, shows that backing from AIPAC is increasingly becoming a political liability for Democrats after the horrors Israel has unleashed on the besieged Gaza Strip.

For decades, Israel has leveraged its political connections and network of wealthy donors to push for unconditional support for its policies.

In 2022, AIPAC organized a political action committee (PAC) to exert sway in US elections, mostly using its financial might to help defeat progressive candidates critical of Israel in Democratic primaries.

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The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is the most famous and equally notorious Israeli lobby group in the world. But how important is it really?

Last year, the group helped oust two vocal critics of Israel in Congress – Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush – by backing their primary challengers with tens of millions of dollars.

But Israel’s war on Gaza has led to an outpouring of criticism, with leading rights groups and United Nations investigators calling it a genocide.

In light of that outcry, AIPAC’s role in US politics has come under greater scrutiny, particularly in Democratic circles where support for Israel has slipped to historic lows.

Moreover, AIPAC has endorsed far-right candidates like Congressman Randy Fine, who celebrated the killing of a US citizen by Israel and openly called for starving the people of Gaza.

Throughout the assault on Gaza, AIPAC echoed the falsehood that there is no Israeli-imposed famine in the territory and defended the Israeli military’s genocidal conduct while calling for more US aid to the entity.

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