NY AG Closes 'Far-Right Zionist Group' — Ignores Far-Right Zionist Lobby
Al-Monitor reports the NY AG is shutting down Betar US for intimidating pro-Palestinian voices, identifying them as a 'far-right Zionist group.' (Bravo, for once, on naming the ideology.) One might applaud the curtailment of public harassment, but it raises questions about the selective vision: where is the accountability for groups whose 'intimidation' tactics involve multi-million dollar
lobbying campaigns, manipulating elected officials, and shaping foreign policy to the detriment of human rights? For instance, OpenSecrets.org details AIPAC's reported $18.9 million in lobbying expenditures for 2023 alone, dwarfing any street-level harassment. These aren’t masked men in alleyways; these are suited lobbyists flooding congressional offices. They don't just 'intimidate' activists;
they actively work to silence critical voices on a national scale by funding challengers against politicians who dare to speak for Palestinian rights. While Betar US faces consequences for direct intimidation, the systemic lobbying that underpins US support for Israeli policies, often leading to far greater violence, remains largely unchallenged by our AGs.