How U.S. Lawmakers Received Funds from the Israeli Lobby in Exchange for Applauding Netanyahu in Congress

Despite the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecutor requesting an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of committing “war crimes,” the U.S. Congress gave him the platform to deliver a speech last July, during which members applauded enthusiastically. This event is seen by Muslims in the United States as a clear indication of the real stance on the war on Gaza. The grand reception of Netanyahu highlights the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which sways congressional decisions by flooding members with so-called “campaign contributions.”

On May 20th, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan requested the issuance of arrest warrants for both Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for their responsibility in committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

On July 24th, Netanyahu delivered a one-hour speech before Congress, claiming that Israel “killed almost no civilians” in Rafah. This took place amid massive protests by thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters on the streets of Washington, demanding an end to the war and the halting of U.S. arms sales to Israel.

Massive Funds

According to data collected by an Anadolu correspondent, several lawmakers who applauded Netanyahu received substantial financial backing from AIPAC. Among them is Democratic Representative Steny Hoyer, who received $1,736,244, and House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who received $1,367,047.

Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia, a Democrat, received $929,776, while Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey received $913,081.

Democratic Congressman Glenn Ivey from Maryland received $807,215, while California Democrat Ted Lieu got $315,955. Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman received $245,550 from AIPAC.

On the Republican side, House Speaker Mike Johnson received $364,363, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz received $1,509,359.

Republican Congressman Mike Kelly from Pennsylvania received $91,250, while Alabama Republican Representative Jerry Carl got $50,892.

Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy received $37,129, Arizona Republican Andy Biggs got $46,745, Florida Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna received $3,000, and Florida Republican Cory Mills received $8,500.

Additionally, Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene received $2,250 from AIPAC in the form of “campaign contributions.”

Other recipients of AIPAC funding include Florida Republican Byron Donalds, who received $90,703, Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson, who got $347,028, Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who received $231,790, and Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert, who got $17,690. Florida Representative Matt Gaetz received $6,535, while Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin received $913,285.

“A Disgraceful Display”

Dr. Hassan Abdul Salam, a sociology professor at the University of Minnesota and founder of the “Abandon Biden” movement, which calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, described the invitation extended to one of the “greatest tyrants in human history” to speak before Congress as “one of the most disgraceful displays in American history.”

He added in an interview with Anadolu: “We are very confident that our movement, Abandon Biden, is on the right path by demanding accountability from this administration.”

With unwavering U.S. support, Israel continues its “genocidal” war on Gaza, which has resulted in over 136,000 Palestinian casualties, most of whom are children and women, alongside more than 10,000 missing, amidst widespread destruction and a deadly famine.

Defying international outcry, Israel persists in this war, ignoring the U.N. Security Council’s demand for an immediate halt and disregarding orders from the International Court of Justice to take measures to prevent acts of genocide and improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Congress’ Applause Drama

Dr. Omar Suleiman, president of the Yaqeen Institute in Dallas, Texas, commented on the actions of the “Zionists,” saying: “AIPAC is overplaying its hand. These organizations are so heavily leveraging their influence that the American public, even those who don’t align with us, are beginning to question why taxpayer money is being funneled to AIPAC while poverty plagues U.S. streets.”

He added that American politicians “show more sensitivity toward these lobby groups than they do toward their own people.” He noted that AIPAC orchestrated the applause drama in Congress, comparing it to “school plays.”

He described the situation as “insanity,” saying the U.S. needs “radical change.”

“With each round of applause, billions of dollars are funneled into funding this brutality. With each applause, there are thousands of dead children. And with each applause, money flows from AIPAC.”

Robert McCaw, Director of Government Affairs at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said: “We do not want leaders accused of committing genocide to be given a platform before U.S. lawmakers.”

He told Anadolu: “We don’t support this political system in Washington. While the political elite may back Netanyahu, the American people are witnessing the growing atrocities of genocide every day, and they are losing public support.”

Despite the thunderous applause for Netanyahu’s speech, he did not address the issue of a prisoner swap deal with Hamas or the ceasefire in Gaza.

Netanyahu simply stated that he had met with the families of captives and told them, “I will not rest until all your loved ones return home.”

Pro-Palestinian Banner Blocked

At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last August, where the U.S. government faced strong backlash over its policies on Gaza, lawmakers like Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Summer Lee delivered speeches to crowds of pro-Palestinian supporters.

Inside the conference hall, American police forcibly prevented attendees from raising a pro-Palestinian banner by turning off the lights to remove the banner while simultaneously arresting several participants.

During the upcoming U.S. presidential election on November 5, concerned American citizens, including Muslims who demand a halt to U.S. arms shipments to Israel, plan to voice their opposition to U.S. policies through the ballot box.