Oct 30, 2024 Story by: Editor
In June, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued to clash with U.S. President Joe Biden over the ongoing Gaza genocide, Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) was among eight U.S. House members visiting Israel on a four-day trip organized by AIPAC. This marked Ivey’s second AIPAC-sponsored visit since he joined Congress in 2022, a campaign significantly supported by $6 million in independent expenditures from AIPAC. Ivey, who defeated former Rep. Donna Edwards in a 2022 primary in which AIPAC’s super PAC spent $6 million on his behalf, said his time in Israel has been valuable in understanding a key U.S. partnership. Since joining Congress in 2023, Ivey has received $816,335 from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Reflecting on his time in Israel, Ivey described the trip as “very somber,” emphasizing the valuable insights it provided into a crucial U.S. partnership. During the June trip, the delegation met with several high-ranking Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Benny Gantz of the National Unity Party. “The focus was totally different” from his previous trip, Ivey noted, with discussions centered on the October 7 attacks and broader security concerns.
On Ivey’s first AIPAC trip in September 2023, which he attended with fellow Congressional Black Caucus members, they arrived in Jerusalem on Sept. 2. They met with high-ranking Israeli officials, but a key perspective was missing from the trip, he said in an interview. The itinerary included a meeting with a Palestinian-Israeli peace activist, “but not people in Gaza, and not the Palestinian Authority,” Ivey said. “So, heavy focus on Israel and Israeli politics.” Ivey’s wife joined him on his first visit—a unique AIEF trip that brought nine House members of the Congressional Black Caucus to Israel and Rwanda to discuss the relationship between Israel, Rwanda, and the U.S.
“It’s useful to try and get out and see things firsthand,” Ivey explained, recalling powerful moments from both trips, particularly meeting families of hostages and visiting the site of a music festival incident. Ivey’s second AIPAC visit in June incorporated multiple sessions on the Oct. 7 attacks, where he remarked that when they arrived in Israel, the airport “was lined with the faces of hostages that have been taken.” Although Ivey said that the group met with Palestinian-Israelis, the trip did not include a visit to Gaza or the West Bank.
The American Israel Education Foundation, AIPAC’s nonprofit arm, covered $68,000 for Ivey’s trips, which included luxury accommodations. Responding to any perceived influence of these trips on his stance, Ivey said, “They focus more on the $7 million in independent expenditures in my election. My view is that, you know, it’s fair game, it’s all publicly disclosed.” AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, was instrumental in supporting his 2022 primary, contributing $6 million, supplemented by $750,000 in contributions and $400,000 in outside support from other pro-Israel groups. Ivey’s engagement with Israel is reflected in his votes: he backed an April military aid package to Israel. However, he opposed a subsequent version of the bill in November that excluded Gaza support. Source: Politico
