Transcript [00:00] Capitol Hill. Apac, [00:02] >> one of the most influential pro-Israel [00:04] lobbying organizations in the United [00:06] States, is changing its political [00:09] strategy. Apac says it will stop [00:11] formally endorsing candidates and making [00:14] direct campaign contributions after [00:16] November's midterm elections. The [00:18] decision comes amid growing criticism [00:20] from both Democrats and Republicans as [00:23] support for Israel becomes an [00:25] increasingly divisive issue in American [00:27] politics. In recent months, several [00:30] candidates have publicly rejected Apac's [00:32] financial backing, concerned that its [00:34] endorsement could actually hurt their [00:36] election prospects. As for example, [00:39] during the race in Michigan, where [00:41] pro-Israel Republican candidate Mike [00:43] Rogers asked Apac to step back and avoid [00:46] visible public campaigning or direct [00:48] advertising on his behalf, a striking [00:51] reversal for an organization whose [00:52] support was once considered a major [00:54] political advantage. But Apac is not [00:57] withdrawing from American politics. Its [01:00] affiliated super PAC, United Democracy [01:02] Project, will continue spending millions [01:05] of dollars supporting pro-Israel [01:07] candidates and opposing critics of [01:09] Israel. And IPAC says its supporters [01:11] have already contributed more than $90 [01:13] million directly to candidates during [01:15] this election cycle. The organization [01:18] says it's adapting to a changing [01:19] political environment. But the decision [01:22] also reflects a broader shift in [01:24] Washington where support for Israel is [01:26] no longer the bipartisan political [01:28] consensus it once was. [01:31] >> So for more reaction, it's a pleasure to [01:33] welcome Joel Rubin, former US Deputy [01:35] Assistant Secretary of State and author [01:38] of Saving Democratic Foreign Policy, [01:40] joining us now from Chile Chase in [01:42] Maryland. Good to see you. So, it has [01:45] been fascinating to see just how the [01:47] mention of Apac in the US midterms has [01:50] sparked such heated reaction, seeing [01:52] some candidates distancing themselves [01:54] from the lobby group. What do you make [01:56] of this very significant move right now [01:58] from Apac? [02:01] >> Yeah, Bonita, it's great to be with you [02:03] and you're right. This is a seismic [02:06] shift uh this decision by Apac to only [02:09] uh have five years of attempted direct [02:12] financing of candidates and to now get [02:14] out of that business. And it's important [02:16] to remember that Apac never did fund [02:19] candidates directly before uh 2021. And [02:23] so they tried they went in and they made [02:25] themselves a target. And I think for [02:26] Apac that's really the ultimate uh [02:29] decision maker for them. That's the [02:31] ultimate criteria which is that they are [02:33] a target now. They are getting rejected [02:35] by Democratic candidates for example who [02:38] voted against the military aid program [02:40] uh over the summer the military aid [02:43] program to Israel. Apac then said we [02:45] wouldn't fund raise for you and many [02:47] Democrats said that was fine. And then [02:48] to your your earlier preamble here Mike [02:51] Rogers for the Senate on the Republican [02:53] side said he didn't want their support [02:55] either. And so it's a it's a real shift. [02:58] Uh it doesn't mean that donations from [02:59] Apac members will stop. That certainly [03:02] will continue. But I think what we're [03:04] going to see is a move back into the [03:06] sort of pre2021 era where they're [03:09] organizing local donors, organizing more [03:12] outside of Washington. And then of [03:14] course they still have the super PAC [03:16] which will run ads but is not legally [03:18] allowed to coordinate with candidates. [03:20] So it's a very significant move. [03:22] >> What is your sense? How has support for [03:25] Israel become an electoral liability of [03:28] sorts in American politics? What does it [03:30] all say about the changing attitudes [03:32] towards Israel among Democratic voters, [03:35] Republican voters, and younger Americans [03:37] as well? What is your sense? [03:40] >> Yeah, you know, you and I have been [03:41] talking about this now for the last [03:43] several months and and it's not a topic [03:45] that's disappeared. It's only [03:46] accelerated on both sides of the aisle [03:49] and poll after poll. There's a lot of [03:51] discontent right now with American [03:53] support for Israel. That doesn't mean [03:55] that Israel is viewed as an enemy or a [03:59] country to uh completely drop. No. Uh [04:02] but I will tell you that we see it every [04:04] day in our social media of course, but [04:07] on Capitol Hill in language amongst [04:09] candidates and in the advocacy space of [04:11] criticism of Israel at levels that I've [04:13] never seen before. Of course, we've [04:15] talked about, you and I have talked [04:16] about how I feel that much of it is [04:18] veered into anti-semitism. But all that [04:20] said, uh, Israel right now is in a very [04:23] difficult political position [04:25] domestically in the United States. And [04:26] when this new Congress comes in, it's [04:29] likely going to be at the top of mind, [04:31] especially what with whatever results [04:33] come out next week in the Israeli [04:35] elections. And so I think we're going to [04:37] continue to see many candidates, [04:39] especially from the far left and the far [04:41] right, but more from the far left of the [04:43] Democratic party, using the Israel issue [04:45] as a wedge to try to gain popularity and [04:48] to push forward legislation to try to [04:50] break the relationship. And it's only [04:52] going to create more friction on Capitol [04:54] Hill. [04:54] >> Of course, Israel's elections on [04:56] Tuesday, 27th of October, and the US [04:59] midterms the following week, 3rd of [05:01] November. How might the results of the [05:04] midterm shape the US military aid to [05:07] Israel and Washington's policy towards [05:09] the Israeli government right now? What [05:11] is your anticipation on that front? [05:14] >> Yeah, there really Bonita, there really [05:16] are two separate conversations on both [05:18] sides of the aisle. On the Republican [05:20] side, you know, President Trump is there [05:22] and he's supportive and he's negotiating [05:23] a new military aid package with Israel [05:26] after the memorandum of understanding in [05:28] 2028 expires. On the Democratic side, we [05:31] have a real fight right now about the [05:33] future of the military aid program to [05:35] Israel. Uh there are many uh myself [05:37] included, who support it, want to see uh [05:40] it it modernized, of course, like all [05:42] aid programs should be, but we're there [05:45] fighting. And then there are voices who [05:46] are very much opposed to it as well. And [05:48] that's going to play out not just in [05:50] these in these elections at the end, but [05:53] also leading into the 2028 presidential [05:55] primaries. it's going to become a very [05:57] high-profile topic, probably topic [05:59] number one for Democrats on foreign [06:01] policy, uh, related to how candidates [06:03] are viewed. And so, I think that the two [06:06] parties are not of equal minds right now [06:08] and a lot of churn and there's a lot of [06:10] fighting internally to try to figure out [06:12] how to maintain this relationship. Uh, [06:14] certainly on the Democratic side, uh, [06:15] but, uh, but we are are definitely new [06:18] territory politically. And I got to add [06:21] with APEC exiting from direct financing, [06:23] that does mean other entrance are [06:25] entering. On the Democratic side, [06:27] there's Democratic majority for Israel. [06:29] There are other groups to the left, new [06:31] policy that is anti-Israel. There's a [06:33] variety of money now entering into the [06:36] Israel issue that is is going to start [06:38] to influence as well alongside uh the [06:40] more quieter Apac support. [06:43] >> Intriguing dynamics ahead of the [06:46] midterms. Joel Rubin live from Chvy [06:48] Chase in Maryland. Thank you so much as [06:50] always for your time. Appreciate it. [06:52] >> Be well. [06:54] >> Now, an update out of the West Bank [06:56] following the detention of several dozen [06:59] activists who were ostensively helping [07:02] Palestinian olive growers in the olive [07:04] fields near Bethlehem on Wednesday. The [07:07] IDF saying the trip wasn't authorized. [07:10] Some critics calling
