Beyond AIPAC: Unveiling the True Drivers of U.S. Policy on "Israel" and Palestine

The recent primary defeats of US representatives Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, attributed to significant financial backing from pro-”Israel” groups, have reignited debates over the influence of the American "Israel" Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on U.S. politics. While AIPAC’s role is often highlighted, this focus serves as a convenient distraction from the deeper, more entrenched forces shaping U.S. foreign policy towards "Israel" and Palestine: the military-industrial complex (MIC) and deeply rooted Christian Zionist ideology.

Christian Zionism: A Foundational American Ideology

Christian Zionism in America isn’t a recent phenomenon; it’s deeply woven into the fabric of American history, dating back to the arrival of the Puritans on the Mayflower. The Puritans viewed themselves as establishing a “New Jerusalem” on Turtle Island, a belief that would evolve into the doctrine of Manifest Destiny — an ideology that justified the expansion of the United States across Turtle Island at the expense of Indigenous peoples.

The belief in the restoration of Jewish people to Palestine as a precursor to the Second Coming of Christ has been influential since the colonial era. By the 19th century, figures like William Blackstone were…