The longstanding battle between the Israeli and Palestinian factions for influence in the United States Congress has only one clear winner.
The Israeli government has long invested in cultivating relationships with members of the US Congress. For decades, it has lobbied Congress to pass favorable legislation in its favor, from US arms sales to Israel to resolutions supporting the Israeli government’s hardline stance on Middle Eastern conflict issues.
Israel’s strategy is multi-faceted. It works to cultivate relationships with powerful, influential US politicians, with free trips to Israel and financial donations. It spends millions of dollars on media campaigns, pushing its interests and maintaining its “pro-Israel” image in the US.
But its tactics don’t stop there. The Israeli government has also put pressure on members of Congress to vote in its favor by sending well-funded and well-organized pro-Israel delegations to Washington, DC. These delegations are designed to sway and pressure legislators into voting for legislation that is beneficial to Israel, or to not vote for legislation that is not favorable.
The situation is dramatically different on the Palestinian side. While the Palestinians do have a significant presence in Washington, it is much smaller than that of the Israeli government. Palestinians also lack the long-term relationships with politicians that Israel has developed. This makes it almost impossible for them to counter the influence of the pro-Israel lobbying campaigns.
In the end, it’s clear that Israel has the upper hand in trying to sway US policy in the Middle East. Its well-funded and well-organized campaigns and relationships with US politicians have allowed Israel to further its interests and maintain its powerful base of support in Congress. On the other hand, the Palestinian faction is unable to mount an effective counter-campaign due to its lack of resources and relationships.
In short, the battle between the two sides for influence in the United States Congress is all but won. The only winner is Israel.