History of AIPAC in Timeline

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is a prominent pro-Israel lobbying group in the United States. It advocates for policies that support Israel's interests before the U.S. legislative and executive branches. Considered one of the most influential lobbying groups in the U.S., AIPAC works to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship through political advocacy. It was originally named the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (1954-1959) before adopting its current, more descriptive name.

1943: Formation of American Zionist Emergency Council (AZEC)

In 1943, Abba Hillel Silver formed the American Zionist Emergency Council (AZEC) to organize American Jews to contact their local representatives to support Jews in Mandatory Palestine.

1949: AZEC Renamed American Zionist Council (AZC)

In 1949, the American Zionist Emergency Council (AZEC) was renamed the American Zionist Council (AZC).

1951: Lobbying efforts to help Israel's economy

In 1951, Kenen began a lobbying effort to help Israel's troubled economy.

1952: Securing US aid for Israel

In 1952, Kenen secured $73 million in U.S. aid for Israel.

October 1953: Qibya Massacre Criticism

In October 1953, international criticism arose due to the Qibya massacre. Israeli troops under Ariel Sharon killed at least 69 Palestinian villagers. The founding of the new organization was in part a response to this criticism.

1953: Formation of American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (AZCPA)

In 1953, Kenen formed the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (AZCPA) to lobby for a foreign government, due to concerns about being investigated for not registering as a "foreign agent".

1954: AIPAC Founded to Counter Criticism

In 1954, AIPAC was founded by Isaiah L. Kenen, partly to counter international criticism of Israel's Qibya massacre of Palestinian villagers.

1954: AIPAC Founded

In 1954, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was founded; it was initially named the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs. AIPAC is a pro-Israel lobbying group that advocates its policies to the legislative and executive branches of the United States.

1959: AZCPA Renamed AIPAC

In 1959, AZCPA was renamed the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), reflecting a broader membership and mission.

1973: AIPAC Becomes Powerful

AIPAC only became a powerful organization in the 15 years after the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

1973: AIPAC's Budget Soars

During this period, AIPAC's budget soared from $300,000 in 1973 to over $7 million during its peak years of influence in the late 1980s.

1974: Kenen Retires from AIPAC

In 1974, Isaiah Kenen retired from his role leading AIPAC and was succeeded by Morris J. Amitay.

1980: Thomas Dine Becomes Executive Director of AIPAC

In 1980, Thomas Dine became the executive director of AIPAC and developed its grassroots campaign.

1982: AIPAC Affiliated Activists Back Durbin

In 1982, activists affiliated with AIPAC in Skokie, Illinois, backed Richard J. Durbin to oust U.S. representative Paul Findley, who had shown enthusiasm for PLO leader Yasir Arafat.

1984: Senator Percy Defeated

In 1984, Senator Charles H. Percy was defeated after supporting a deal to allow Saudi Arabia to buy sophisticated airborne early warning and control (AWAC) military planes. Paul Simon was asked by Robert Asher, an AIPAC board member in Chicago, to run against Percy.

1987: Pro-Israel PACs Operated by AIPAC Officials

The Wall Street Journal reports that in 1987 at least 51 of 80 pro-Israel PACs were operated by AIPAC officials.

1990: Pro-Israel Donations

According to the non-partisan OpenSecrets, since 1990, Pro-Israel interests have contributed $56.8 million in individual, group, and soft money donations to federal candidates and party committees

1992: David Steiner Resigns as AIPAC President

In 1992, AIPAC president David Steiner resigned after being recorded boasting about his political influence in obtaining aid for Israel, including negotiating with the Bush and incoming Clinton administrations.

1995: AIPAC supports Counter-Terrorism Act

In 1995, AIPAC was an early supporter of the Counter-Terrorism Act, which resulted in increased FBI resources being committed to fight terrorism.

1996: Howard Kohr becomes CEO of AIPAC

In 1996, Howard Kohr became the CEO of AIPAC.

1997: AIPAC named second-most powerful influence group in Washington

In 1997, Fortune magazine named AIPAC the second-most powerful influence group in Washington, D.C.

2000: AIPAC Board Donations

Between the 2000 and the 2004 elections, the 50 members of AIPAC's board donated an average of $72,000 each to campaigns and political action committees.

2002: Intent to Lobby for Use of Force in Iraq

In 2002, AIPAC expressed intent to lobby Congress to authorize the use of force in Iraq.

January 2003: AIPAC lobbied Congress to approve use of force in Iraq

In January 2003, at an AIPAC meeting, executive director Kohr stated that AIPAC 'quietly' lobbied Congress to approve the use of force in Iraq.

2003: Iraq War Defended at AIPAC Events

In 2003, the Iraq War was defended at AIPAC events.

2004: AIPAC Board Donations

Between the 2000 and the 2004 elections, the 50 members of AIPAC's board donated an average of $72,000 each to campaigns and political action committees.

April 2005: AIPAC Fires Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman

In April 2005, AIPAC fired policy director Steven Rosen and senior Iran analyst Keith Weissman amid an FBI investigation into the potential sharing of classified information with the government of Israel.

May 2005: Justice Department Announces Arrest of Lawrence Franklin

In May 2005, the Justice Department announced the arrest of Lawrence Anthony Franklin, a U.S. Air Force Reserves colonel, who was charged with providing classified national defense information to Israel. The criminal complaint identified AIPAC and described a meeting where Franklin disclosed top-secret information to AIPAC officials.

2005: AIPAC Espionage Scandal

In 2005, Lawrence Franklin, a Pentagon analyst, pleaded guilty to espionage charges for passing U.S. government secrets to AIPAC policy director Steve J. Rosen and AIPAC senior Iran analyst Keith Weissman, marking the AIPAC espionage scandal. Rosen and Weissman were later fired by AIPAC.

January 20, 2006: Lawrence Franklin Sentenced to Prison

On January 20, 2006, Lawrence Franklin was sentenced to 151 months in prison and fined $10,000 for passing government secrets to Rosen and Weissman and giving classified information to an Israeli official.

2006: Betty McCollum Demands Apology from AIPAC

In 2006, Representative Betty McCollum demanded an apology from AIPAC after an AIPAC representative allegedly described her vote against the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 as "support for terrorists". McCollum initially barred AIPAC representatives from her office, but the incident was later declared over.

2007: AIPAC session blames Iraq war for increased terrorism

By the time of the 2007 AIPAC annual policy conference, continuing violence in Iraq had undermined the view that the war aligned the United States and Israel against Arab and Muslim radicalism. At a conference session, the war was blamed for an increase in global terrorism.

2007: Jim Moran criticizes AIPAC

In 2007 Democratic congressman Jim Moran from Northern Virginia caused national controversy after he told California Jewish magazine Tikkun that AIPAC had been "pushing the [Iraq War] from the beginning."

2007: Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Israel

In 2007, The U.S. and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding to allocate $30 billion in aid for Israel over 10 years.

2009: Brian Baird opposes House resolution condemning Goldstone Report

In 2009, Brian Baird opposed a House resolution condemning the Goldstone Report on civilian deaths.

2009: House passes resolution condemning UN Goldstone Report

In 2009, a House of Representatives resolution condemning the UN Goldstone Report on human rights violations by Israel in Gaza passed 344–36.

2009: Charges Dropped Against Former AIPAC Employees

In 2009, all charges against the former AIPAC employees, Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman, were dropped after the investigation into the sharing of classified information.

2010: AIPAC opposes Jan Schakowsky's reelection campaign

In 2010, AIPAC opposed the reelection campaign of Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois), a Jewish member of Congress who had previously maintained good relations with the organization and received campaign contributions from its members, after she was endorsed by the advocacy group J Street.

2010: AIPAC requests military aid for Israel

In fiscal year 2010, as part of the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding, AIPAC requested that Israel receive $2.775 billion in military aid from the U.S. AIPAC argued that this aid served U.S. national security interests and foreign policy goals.

2012: Donna Edwards Fails to Back Resolutions During 2012 Gaza War

During the 2012 Gaza War, Donna Edwards failed to back resolutions in support of Israel. In 2022, AIPAC spent $7 million to defeat Donna Edwards in a Maryland primary.

2012: AIPAC calls for crippling sanctions on Iran

In 2012, AIPAC called for "crippling" sanctions on Iran in a letter to every member of Congress.

2013: AIPAC lobbies to levy economic embargoes and increase sanctions on Iran

In 2013, AIPAC lobbied to levy economic embargoes and increase sanctions on Iran (known as the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013). However, according to The New York Times, its effort "stalled after stiff resistance from President Obama."

2016: Policy Conference Includes Clinton and Trump

In 2016, AIPAC's yearly policy conference included both major parties' nominees: Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, highlighting its bipartisan nature.

2016: Nida Allam's presidential campaign

In 2016, Nida Allam was the political director for the 2016 presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders.

2016: AIPAC Policy Conference held in Verizon Center

In 2016, nearly 20,000 delegates attended the AIPAC Policy Conference, about 4,000 of them American students. For the first time in AIPAC's history, the conference's general sessions were held in Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center to accommodate the large number of delegates. Keynote speakers included Vice President Joe Biden, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Governor John Kasich, Senator Ted Cruz, and Speaker Paul Ryan. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the conference via satellite on its final day.

2018: AIPAC Lobbying Expenditure

In 2018, AIPAC spent $3.5 million on lobbying.

February 2019: Ilhan Omar's Tweet on AIPAC

In February 2019, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar tweeted that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's support for Israel was "all about the Benjamins," clarifying the next day that she meant AIPAC. This sparked controversy and debate over AIPAC's influence.

March 6, 2019: Democratic Leadership Puts Forth a Resolution

On March 6, 2019, the Democratic leadership put forth a resolution on the House floor condemning antisemitism, which was broadened to condemn bigotry against a wide variety of groups before it passed on March 7.

August 2019: AIEF sponsors trips for members of Congress

In August 2019, the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF) sponsored week-long trips with 72 members of Congress to Israel and the West Bank. They visited with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

2019: AIPAC Headquarters and Offices

As of early 2019, AIPAC had 17 regional and satellite offices and a new headquarters on K Street in Washington, D.C.

2020: Betty McCollum accuses AIPAC of hate speech

In 2020, Democratic congresswoman Betty McCollum accused AIPAC of hate speech and said the group is a hate group.

2020: Bernie Sanders says AIPAC provides a platform for bigotry

In 2020, Senator Bernie Sanders said AIPAC provides a platform for bigotry and said he will not attend their conference.

2020: 2020 U.S. presidential election

In 2020, the U.S. presidential election took place, and AIPAC was later criticized in March 2022 for backing Republican members of Congress who voted against certifying Biden's victory.

2020: Congresspersons voted to overturn the 2020 election of Joe Biden

In March 2022, AIPAC's PAC endorsed 37 Congresspersons of the "Sedition Caucus" who had voted to overturn the 2020 election of Joe Biden.

2021: United States Capitol Attack

Following the United States Capitol attack in 2021, AIPAC was criticized in March 2022 for supporting Republican members of Congress who voted against certifying Biden's 2020 election victory.

2021: AIPAC Forms Political Action Committee

In late 2021, AIPAC formed its own political action committee and announced plans for a Super PAC, which can spend money on candidates' behalf. Prior to 2021, AIPAC did not directly raise funds for political candidates.

March 2022: AIPAC Criticized for Backing Republican Members of Congress

After forming its first PAC in early March 2022, AIPAC faced criticism for supporting the election campaigns of 37 Republican members of Congress who voted against certifying Biden's 2020 U.S. presidential election victory after the 2021 United States Capitol attack.

March 2022: AIPAC PAC releases first endorsements

In March 2022, AIPAC's PAC released its first endorsements of 130 candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate, including 37 Congresspersons of the "Sedition Caucus" who had voted to overturn the 2020 election of Joe Biden.

May 2022: AIPAC spending to defeat progressive Democrats

In May 2022, it was revealed that AIPAC has been spending millions, channeled through surrogate group, the United Democracy Project (UDP), to defeat progressive Democrats in Democratic primaries and particularly female candidates who might potentially align with "the Squad".

August 2022: AIPAC Tweet Criticizing George Soros

In August 2022, AIPAC tweeted that George Soros was backing anti-Israel groups and undermining pro-Israel Democrats by donating $1 million to J Street. In response, IfNotNow accused AIPAC of antisemitism.

2022: AIPAC Spending in Democratic Primaries

In 2022, AIPAC spent $24 million via the United Democracy Project to defeat candidates not considered pro-Israel enough in the Democratic Party primaries, supported by contributions from Republican Trump campaign financiers.

2023: Bernie Sanders says AIPAC attempts to destroy the American progressive movement

On February 19, 2023, on CBS Face the Nation, Sanders said that AIPAC, formerly bipartisan, had evolved towards attempting to "destroy" the American progressive movement.

March 2024: Reject AIPAC coalition formed

In mid-March 2024, with reports of AIPAC and UDP planning to spend $100M to primary incumbent progressive House Democrats, opponents formed the Reject AIPAC coalition "to protect democracy & Palestinian rights".

August 2024: AIPAC Headquarters Vandalized

In August 2024, AIPAC's headquarters in Washington, D.C., were vandalized by anti-Israel activists.

2024: Elliot Brandt named CEO of AIPAC

In late 2024, Elliot Brandt was named CEO of AIPAC, succeeding Howard Kohr.

2025: Membership and Resources

As of 2025, AIPAC reports having more than 5 million members in the U.S., 17 regional offices, and "a vast pool of donors".

2025: Gaetz speaks about pressure on members of Congress to participate

In 2025, former Representative Matt Gaetz spoke about a "downward pressure" on members of Congress to participate in AIEF trips, particularly members of the Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence committees.

2025: Politicians Refuse AIPAC Donations

In 2025, several Democratic politicians, including Deborah Ross, Valerie Foushee, Morgan McGarvey, and Seth Moulton, stated they would no longer accept donations from AIPAC.

2026: AIPAC spent at least $5 million to influence four March Democratic congressional primary elections in Illinois

In 2026, AIPAC (via UDP) directly spent at least $5 million, with some individual AIPAC donors providing at least an additional $8.7 million, to influence four March Democratic congressional primary elections in Illinois, funneled through shell super PACs Elect Chicago Women, Affordable Chicago Now!, and Chicago Progressive Partnership.