SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the 2018 AIPAC policy conference. (Photo: AIPAC)
'Momentum Is Shifting': MoveOn Calls for Democratic Presidential Candidates to Boycott AIPAC Conference
"This is a huge step in the right direction. AIPAC upholds the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and second class citizenship for non-Jews in Israel."
Mar 20, 2019
MoveOn, a progressive advocacy group with millions of members, is calling on Democratic presidential candidates to boycott AIPAC's annual conference.
"It's no secret that that AIPAC has worked to hinder diplomatic efforts like the Iran deal, is undermining Palestinian self-determination, and inviting figures actively involved in human rights violations to its stage," Iram Ali, campaign director at MoveOn Political Action, said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are among the confirmed speakers for the event, which begins Sunday.
None of the Democratic presidential candidates are listed as speakers at the conference, and there is no indication that any of them plan to attend. But MoveOn's demand for a boycott will nevertheless "give a clear insight to 2020 candidates on where their base stands instead of prioritizing lobbying groups and policy people who rarely step outside of D.C.," said Ali.
Anna Zuccaro, a spokeswoman for MoveOn, told Politico that the boycott demand is "a clear sign that momentum is shifting."
The call to boycott the conference was viewed as further evidence of the generational shift within the Democratic Party over America's relationship with the Israeli goverment, which continues to brutally occupy and massacre Palestinians with impunity.
"This is a huge step in the right direction," tweeted Max Berger, co-founder of IfNotNow, a youth-led American Jewish advocacy group. "AIPAC upholds the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and second class citizenship for non-Jews in Israel."
MoveOn decided to call on Democratic presidential candidates to boycott AIPAC's conference after over 74 percent of its members expressed support for the move in an online survey.
\u201c74%+ of MoveOn members agree progressive 2020 presidential candidates should skip the #AIPAC2019 conference.\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
On Twitter, MoveOn listed four reasons it is calling on Democratic presidential hopefuls to skip the event:
\u201c#1 \nAIPAC spent tens of millions of dollars in 2015 to defeat the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by Pre. Obama along w international allies. It was a historic diplomatic agreement that Trump has tried to derail since taking office.\n\nSource: https://t.co/bcyBvjeHSX\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#2 \nAIPAC has been known to peddle anti-Muslim and anti-Arab rhetoric while giving platforms to those involved in human rights abuses. \n\nSource: https://t.co/Jt7uah6leC\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#3 \nAIPAC conference is headlined by Benjamin Netanyahu\u2013\u2013under whose leadership Israel may have committed war crimes. \n\nSource: https://t.co/CPx6Rew6Zu\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#4 \nAIPAC has refused to condemn the anti-Semitism of Republicans, such as Trump's friend and adviser Steve Bannon.\n\nSource: https://t.co/P7RpU5xELC\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
MoveOn, a progressive advocacy group with millions of members, is calling on Democratic presidential candidates to boycott AIPAC's annual conference.
"It's no secret that that AIPAC has worked to hinder diplomatic efforts like the Iran deal, is undermining Palestinian self-determination, and inviting figures actively involved in human rights violations to its stage," Iram Ali, campaign director at MoveOn Political Action, said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are among the confirmed speakers for the event, which begins Sunday.
None of the Democratic presidential candidates are listed as speakers at the conference, and there is no indication that any of them plan to attend. But MoveOn's demand for a boycott will nevertheless "give a clear insight to 2020 candidates on where their base stands instead of prioritizing lobbying groups and policy people who rarely step outside of D.C.," said Ali.
Anna Zuccaro, a spokeswoman for MoveOn, told Politico that the boycott demand is "a clear sign that momentum is shifting."
The call to boycott the conference was viewed as further evidence of the generational shift within the Democratic Party over America's relationship with the Israeli goverment, which continues to brutally occupy and massacre Palestinians with impunity.
"This is a huge step in the right direction," tweeted Max Berger, co-founder of IfNotNow, a youth-led American Jewish advocacy group. "AIPAC upholds the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and second class citizenship for non-Jews in Israel."
MoveOn decided to call on Democratic presidential candidates to boycott AIPAC's conference after over 74 percent of its members expressed support for the move in an online survey.
\u201c74%+ of MoveOn members agree progressive 2020 presidential candidates should skip the #AIPAC2019 conference.\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
On Twitter, MoveOn listed four reasons it is calling on Democratic presidential hopefuls to skip the event:
\u201c#1 \nAIPAC spent tens of millions of dollars in 2015 to defeat the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by Pre. Obama along w international allies. It was a historic diplomatic agreement that Trump has tried to derail since taking office.\n\nSource: https://t.co/bcyBvjeHSX\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#2 \nAIPAC has been known to peddle anti-Muslim and anti-Arab rhetoric while giving platforms to those involved in human rights abuses. \n\nSource: https://t.co/Jt7uah6leC\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#3 \nAIPAC conference is headlined by Benjamin Netanyahu\u2013\u2013under whose leadership Israel may have committed war crimes. \n\nSource: https://t.co/CPx6Rew6Zu\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#4 \nAIPAC has refused to condemn the anti-Semitism of Republicans, such as Trump's friend and adviser Steve Bannon.\n\nSource: https://t.co/P7RpU5xELC\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
MoveOn, a progressive advocacy group with millions of members, is calling on Democratic presidential candidates to boycott AIPAC's annual conference.
"It's no secret that that AIPAC has worked to hinder diplomatic efforts like the Iran deal, is undermining Palestinian self-determination, and inviting figures actively involved in human rights violations to its stage," Iram Ali, campaign director at MoveOn Political Action, said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are among the confirmed speakers for the event, which begins Sunday.
None of the Democratic presidential candidates are listed as speakers at the conference, and there is no indication that any of them plan to attend. But MoveOn's demand for a boycott will nevertheless "give a clear insight to 2020 candidates on where their base stands instead of prioritizing lobbying groups and policy people who rarely step outside of D.C.," said Ali.
Anna Zuccaro, a spokeswoman for MoveOn, told Politico that the boycott demand is "a clear sign that momentum is shifting."
The call to boycott the conference was viewed as further evidence of the generational shift within the Democratic Party over America's relationship with the Israeli goverment, which continues to brutally occupy and massacre Palestinians with impunity.
"This is a huge step in the right direction," tweeted Max Berger, co-founder of IfNotNow, a youth-led American Jewish advocacy group. "AIPAC upholds the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and second class citizenship for non-Jews in Israel."
MoveOn decided to call on Democratic presidential candidates to boycott AIPAC's conference after over 74 percent of its members expressed support for the move in an online survey.
\u201c74%+ of MoveOn members agree progressive 2020 presidential candidates should skip the #AIPAC2019 conference.\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
On Twitter, MoveOn listed four reasons it is calling on Democratic presidential hopefuls to skip the event:
\u201c#1 \nAIPAC spent tens of millions of dollars in 2015 to defeat the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by Pre. Obama along w international allies. It was a historic diplomatic agreement that Trump has tried to derail since taking office.\n\nSource: https://t.co/bcyBvjeHSX\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#2 \nAIPAC has been known to peddle anti-Muslim and anti-Arab rhetoric while giving platforms to those involved in human rights abuses. \n\nSource: https://t.co/Jt7uah6leC\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#3 \nAIPAC conference is headlined by Benjamin Netanyahu\u2013\u2013under whose leadership Israel may have committed war crimes. \n\nSource: https://t.co/CPx6Rew6Zu\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
\u201c#4 \nAIPAC has refused to condemn the anti-Semitism of Republicans, such as Trump's friend and adviser Steve Bannon.\n\nSource: https://t.co/P7RpU5xELC\u201d— MoveOn (@MoveOn) 1553105581
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.