RePortersNoteBook.com: Taxpayers Fund Israel Lobby

Aug 25, 2011

Taxpayers Fund Israel Lobby

Council for the National Interest Foundation

Dear Friend:

For more than 22 years CNI has been exposing the machinations of the Israel Lobby: how it dominates America's foreign policy, the stranglehold it has on the US political system, and why Washington's best interests in the Middle East are being subverted. Thanks to your support however, our information about the Lobby and action items to counter its influence are reaching broader audiences and new constituencies.

Now a new wrinkle has been added to the Lobby's number one agenda item—funding the Israeli government. As you will read in the attached article by CNI's executive director Phil Giraldi (just published today), the US State Department has awarded a grant to a private interest group, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), to conduct research on anti-Semitism around the world. The amount of the grant is not significant when compared to the billions Washington sends to Tel Aviv, but it is worrisome as it sets a president of new ways to empower Israel's supporters.

The premise of the grant, according to Phil's insightful analysis, supports "... the never-ending search for anti-Semitism as confirmation of the perpetual victimhood of the state of Israel, justifying whatever action Tel Aviv chooses to take to 'protect itself.'"

As Phil points out:

"Just like the untouchable Pentagon budget, it is more important to recognize the political context of the MEMRI contract, that the money is being provided at a time when every other program is being cut. It is a token of commitment on the part of Hillary Clinton and her cohorts, revealing a constituency that she and the White House consider to be so important that it must be appeased."

One other thing you should be aware of. According to Phil's research, MEMRI was founded by former Israeli intelligence officers.

This article should be distributed far and wide: it is another strong argument for the the larger issue of US priorities being misplaced—no, manipulated—by the Israel lobby. Please contact yourRepresentative and US Senators and to the media.

As always, I appreciate your partnership with CNI both financially and as an activist.

Sincerely,

Alison Weir,
President
Council for the National Interest