Pro-Israel cash goes undercover as US voters turn against Israel

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Pro-Palestinian Jewish American demonstrators rally outside the Manhattan headquarters of Pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who accept donations from the group on February 22, 2024 in New York City, United States. [Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images]

Pro-Israel donors linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are reportedly using new, innocuous-sounding fundraising vehicles to direct money to favoured candidates in high-stakes Democratic primaries, as support for Israel becomes increasingly toxic in US politics.

According to details reviewed by The Lever, a newly formed joint fundraising committee, Better Blue Fund is one of the groups using weakened campaign finance rules to act as a “one-stop shop” for contributions from some of the pro-Israel lobby’s largest longtime donors. More than $250,000 has been raised by the fund in under two months for Democratic candidates who have faced scrutiny over their support for military aid to Israel or past links to pro-Israel groups.

The committee is currently supporting former Utah congressman Ben McAdams, New York representatives Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman and Missouri representative Wesley Bell, all of whom face contested primaries. It is also fundraising for representatives Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Grace Meng of New York, Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Jeremy Moss, a Democratic challenger in Michigan’s 11th District. All eight candidates are currently endorsed by pro-Israel groups or have been in the past.

The Better Blue Fund was formed in March as a joint fundraising committee, a structure which allows multiple candidates to raise funds collectively and attract larger contributions from wealthy donors. Critics say such vehicles can obscure the political interests behind the money, particularly when the committee’s name gives no indication of a pro-Israel agenda.

In one example cited in the report, pro-Israel contributions appear to have been routed through a more discreet channel. McAdams was publicly endorsed by Democratic Majority for Israel in 2020 and received $5,000 from its PAC, but this year the group has offered no public endorsement or direct financial support.

Instead, the Better Blue Fund is backing his campaign, as he faces criticism from progressive rival Nate Blouin over his past support for unrestricted US military aid to Israel. As a congressman, McAdams voted with pro-Israel groups on military funding, opposed boycotts of Israel and joined congressional delegations to the occupation state.

The fund’s donor list also highlights the depth of its links to the pro-Israel donor network. It has reportedly raised nearly $300,000 from pro-Israel donors, including $28,000 from financier Jonathan Jacobson, who gave $2.5 million in 2024 to AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project. Rob Stavis, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, contributed $24,500 to the Better Blue Fund after giving $50,000 to Democratic Majority for Israel in 2024. Its largest reported contribution so far is $31,500 from investor Erich Mindich, who gave $250,000 to Democratic Majority for Israel in the last cycle.

The beginning of the end of unshakeable support: Why US public opinion is turning away from Israel

The report notes that once the Better Blue Fund distributes money to participating candidates, the donations will appear in campaign filings under the fund’s name, rather than clearly identifying the donors’ wider pro-Israel affiliations. This has raised concerns that the new model gives AIPAC-aligned donors a way to support pro-Israel candidates while shielding them from the backlash increasingly attached to the lobby’s brand.

A similar strategy is said to have appeared in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, where a new PAC called the Center for Democratic Priorities, with no prior campaign history, reportedly spent $5.3 million on ads supporting congresswoman Haley Stevens shortly after AIPAC promoted her to donors in a fundraising email. Registration documents reportedly showed that the PAC shared a treasurer with other pro-Israel groups and used the same strategy firm employed by such groups to place the ad buy.

The apparent shift comes as opinion polls show Israel losing support among the American public. A Pew Research Center survey in April found that 53 per cent of US adults held an unfavourable view of Israel, up from 42 per cent in 2022. Gallup reported in July that only 32 per cent of Americans approved of Israel’s military action in Gaza, while 60 per cent disapproved, the lowest level of support Gallup had recorded since it began asking the question in November 2023.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingPro-Israel cash goes undercover as US voters turn against Israel

Israel plans to expand control over Gaza in coming months

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

An Israeli army soldier walks near a main battle tank deployed at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip and southern Israel on July 29, 2025. [Jack GUEZ / AFP/Getty Images]

Israel is planning, in coordination with the United States, to expand its occupation of the Gaza Strip.

According to Israel’s Channel 14, the plan includes a major expansion of the so-called Yellow Line in Gaza, alongside continued bombardment and targeted killings outside the area controlled by the Israeli army, which currently occupies more than 60 per cent of the territory.

As part of the new strategy, the Hebrew-language channel said Israel, in coordination with the United States, will work to significantly expand the Yellow Line area across the Gaza Strip over the coming months.

READ: Ireland to ban imports from Israeli settlements by mid-July

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Continue ReadingIsrael plans to expand control over Gaza in coming months

Cuba is not a failed state – it is a besieged state

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/cuba-not-failed-state-it-besieged-state

 Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces attend a rally in support of former President Raul Castro in front of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, May 22, 2026

ROGER D HARRIS and SARA FLOUNDERS challenge propaganda against the blockaded socialist island

MAY Day is the most important public celebration in Cuba. This year, which marked the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s birth, carried special significance in light of heightened US aggression. Over 5 million Cubans reportedly mobilised island-wide under the slogan of la patria se defiende (the homeland must be defended). The largest demonstration took place in Havana in front of the US embassy.

The symbolism of International Workers’ Day was not lost on the White House. President Trump chose that day, May 1, to impose yet more sanctions on top of the already draconian illegal measures immiserating Cuba. Cuban journalist Norland Rosendo Gonzalez called this latest escalation Trump’s “imperial order to kill the Cuban people without bullets.”

The world’s leading imperial power falsely claims that Cuba poses “threats to United States national security.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio subsequently announced additional measures to “defend” the US homeland from its peaceful neighbour.

Jill Clark-Gollub with the Americas Without Sanctions Campaign explains the underlying reason for Washington’s animosity: “Cuba is sanctioned for the crime of being a good example.” A small, formerly colonised country, Cuba simply claims its sovereign right to determine its own destiny without foreign interference.

In 1976, Cuban voters ratified a constitutional referendum with a reported 97 per cent approval rate and high voter turnout, which formally defined Cuba as a socialist state. Last year in the United States, the House of Representatives passed a resolution “denouncing the horrors of socialism” by a lopsided bipartisan margin of 285–98.

Capitalism itself, however, has never been subject to a democratic vote of the American people. Perhaps for good reason: recent polls show a growing popularity for socialism, especially among the youth.

Shortly before May Day, President Miguel Diaz-Canel addressed the Cuban nation: “The socialist character of our revolution is not a phrase from the past; it is the shield of the present and the guarantee of the future.” With characteristic Cuban humility, he acknowledged “our own mistakes in this process of social construction” but added that “the main cause of our problems is the genocidal blockade.”

Directly addressing Washington – “gentlemen of manipulation and lies” – Díaz-Canel proclaimed: “Cuba is not a failed state; Cuba is a besieged state.”

See the original article at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/cuba-not-failed-state-it-besieged-state

Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes' concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country's economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ... unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone … unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Continue ReadingCuba is not a failed state – it is a besieged state

UN official says renewed Gaza war would have ‘disastrous consequences’ for civilians

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Palestinians inspect the destruction of a residential building belonging to the Abu Shamala family following an Israeli air strike at the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip, Palestine on May 20, 2026. [Moiz Salhi – Anadolu Agency]

A senior UN official said Thursday that a return to full-scale war in the Gaza Strip would have “disastrous consequences” for civilians, while cautioning that worsening violence and illegal Israeli settlement expansion across the occupied Palestinian territory are deepening instability, Anadolu reports.

“As I brief you today, the situation across the Occupied Palestinian Territory is increasingly precarious,” Ramiz Alakbarov, UN deputy special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said at a UN Security Council session to discuss the latest report of the Board of Peace for Gaza.

He said tensions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continue to intensify as “settlement expansion, settler-related violence, and incitement continue to drive tensions.”

Turning to Gaza, Alakbarov said momentum generated by the ceasefire has weakened amid delays in implementing UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2803 and continued violence.

“In Gaza, delays in the implementation of UNSCR 2803, alongside daily violence and a continuing humanitarian crisis, have replaced the early momentum following the ceasefire,” he said.

As discussions continue advancing to the second phase of the ceasefire deal, he warned against growing calls for renewed hostilities.

“As talks on advancing to Phase II of the ceasefire continue, calls are emerging in some circles for a resumption of widespread hostilities. This would have disastrous consequences for the population of Gaza,” he said. “Let me be clear: the people of Gaza cannot take more war. This scenario must be avoided at all costs.”

READ: Italy requests EU to sanction Israeli minister Ben-Gvir over treatment of Gaza flotilla activists

Alakbarov emphasized that the implementation of Resolution 2803 remains urgent. “The implementation of Resolution 2803 cannot wait. All elements of the Comprehensive Plan are interconnected and must be implemented in full.”

He said civilians in Gaza continue to face uncertainty as Israeli strikes occur “on a nearly daily basis, killing dozens.”

Despite limited improvements, humanitarian conditions remain severe, according to Alakbarov.

“The reopening of Zikim crossing in mid-April and a limited increase in the volume of aid are welcome improvements. However, humanitarian operations remain heavily constrained by limited operational crossings, restrictions on critical humanitarian items that Israel considers ‘dual-use,’” he said.

Alakbarov said he witnessed devastation and resilience among Palestinians during a recent visit to Gaza.

Addressing the occupied West Bank, Alakbarov said Israeli authorities advanced plans for more than 640 housing units in Area C and over 1,620 units in the settlement of Pisgat Zeev in East Jerusalem during the reporting period.

He also said five Palestinians, including two children, were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank, while 156 others, including 20 children, were injured by Israeli forces or Israeli occupiers.

“Throughout the West Bank, the frequency and severity of settler attacks have significantly increased in 2026, with some 220 Palestinian communities having faced attacks, which are increasingly leading to the displacement of entire communities,” he said.

“We cannot ignore the current alarming trends or their dire implications for Palestinians, Israelis, and the entire region. This is the moment to take urgent steps to reverse these dangerous dynamics,” he added.

READ: Trump’s Gaza ‘peace’ board in turmoil as funding pledges fail to materialise

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes' concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country's economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.

Continue ReadingUN official says renewed Gaza war would have ‘disastrous consequences’ for civilians

Iran warns of swift response after Trump says he halted planned attack

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

A view of streets as daily life continues amid fragile ceasefire in Tehran, Iran on May 12, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader for military affairs said US President Donald Trump sets a date for an attack and then cancels it himself “in the hope that our nation will surrender”.

According to Iranian media reports, the adviser added that “the iron fist of our armed forces and our nation will force them to retreat and surrender”.

Meanwhile, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters said: “Our forces are fully prepared and will respond quickly and firmly to any new aggression by the enemies.”

Earlier on Monday, Trump said he had ordered a halt to a military strike on Iran that had been scheduled for Tuesday.

Trump said he had instructed the military to remain ready to launch a comprehensive and large-scale attack on Iran at any moment if no acceptable agreement is reached.

He also said that Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had asked him to postpone the planned military attack on Iran because “serious negotiations” were under way, with a chance of reaching a deal that would be “very acceptable” to the United States.

READ: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it foiled alleged plot to transfer US weapons to armed groups

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ... unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone … unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes' concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country's economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.

Continue ReadingIran warns of swift response after Trump says he halted planned attack