A pro-Israel lobbying group affiliate has bankrolled millions of dollars in luxury travel to Israel for dozens of lawmakers and staffers since October 2023, even as support for Israeli policy plummets among American voters and some Democratic politicians scramble to distance themselves from the lobby's influence.
The American Israel Education Foundation, a charitable arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, deployed more than $4.2 million to fund congressional delegations over the past two years, according to ethics filings and public records reviewed by The Guardian. At least 26 Democratic and 52 Republican representatives traveled on at least 15 separate AIEF trips, with costs averaging more than $26,600 per member.
The trips, which typically span a week, have become a staple tool for lawmakers to signal support for Israel to the lobby and its major donors. Stephen Walt, an international relations professor at Harvard's Kennedy School, described the journey as a litmus test: "Agreeing to go on one of these trips is also a signal for politicians who want to show a pro-Israel position to Aipac and to important donors."
The delegations featured stays at luxury hotels including the King David in Jerusalem and the Magdala in Galilee, fine dining at top-tier restaurants, and one-sided briefings on Israeli policy. Lawmakers and aides met with Benjamin Netanyahu, military contractors, and advocates for West Bank annexation and Palestinian displacement.
The timing stands out. A recent poll found that eight in 10 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents view Israel unfavorably, along with six in 10 Americans overall. Yet AIEF trips have continued at a steady pace even as Gaza descended into famine and international bodies documented allegations of genocide.
AIEF operates as a legally separate charitable entity, allowing Aipac to circumvent federal restrictions that bar lobbying organizations from funding overseas travel for U.S. officials. Though incorporated in 1988, the foundation relies on Aipac infrastructure including office space. In 2019 alone, AIEF sponsored 129 trips totaling $2.32 million, funded largely by a handful of Jewish philanthropic foundations.
An August 2025 delegation exemplified the scope and timing of recent travel. Fifteen Democratic members including Wesley Bell and George Latimer headed to Israel, along with twenty Republican House members on a separate trip. Both Bell and Latimer had been elected with the help of millions in Aipac Super Pac spending used to defeat pro-Palestinian incumbents.
The Democratic delegation's opening keynote was scheduled to be delivered by Tal Becker, a former Israeli foreign ministry legal adviser now serving as Israel's lead counsel at the International Court of Justice in the genocide case brought by South Africa. Members toured military facilities, met with Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, and visited the City of David archeological site in occupied East Jerusalem, operated by a settler organization advancing Jewish settlement expansion.
Declared per-traveler costs for that August trip ranged from roughly $16,000 for single members to more than $37,000 for those bringing sponsored family members. The total value of gifted travel to the Democratic members reached about $400,000. On the delegation's third day in Israel, the country's security cabinet approved full military reoccupation of Gaza City.
A February 2025 trip for senior congressional staff brought staffers to hear from Ohad Tal, a Religious Zionist party member who has publicly argued for full annexation of occupied territories, aligning with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's settlement and displacement agenda. AIEF paid just under $17,000 per staffer for stays at four-and-a-half-star hotels across the country.
The foundation rejected criticism when contacted, arguing through a spokesperson that AIEF trips educate participants about the U.S.-Israel relationship and regional security concerns. "Participants visit historical and religious sites throughout the country and meet with Israeli officials and civilians from across the political spectrum," the foundation stated.
No members of Congress or their staffers responded to requests for comment.
While other groups sponsor Israel trips, AIEF stands out for spending volume. Liberal Zionist organization J Street funds trips mostly for Democrats, and groups like the Jewish Institute for National Security of America sponsor travel across both parties, but none approach AIEF's scale. The pace of delegations has remained steady even as human rights organizations, international bodies, and scholars have reached consensus that Israeli conduct in Gaza constitutes genocide.
Recent Democratic primary results suggest Aipac's influence within the party may be weakening as the group's standing continues to erode alongside Israel's image. Yet the logistics and timing of these delegations suggest continuity rather than strategic shift by the lobby group. Walt cautioned that winning people over is becoming harder as the Gaza crisis deepens and Israeli politics shift further right. "These recent trips represent continuity more than change," he said.
Author James Rodriguez: "Taxpayer-funded lawmakers are getting five-star treatment from a registered lobbying affiliate at the precise moment when Gaza is starving and the public is turning against Israeli policy at accelerating speed, yet these trips hum along unchanged,that's either tone-deaf or it's calculated indifference."
Comments