Emergency Committee for Israel

The Emergency Committee for Israel was created in the middle of 2010 as a U.S. political advocacy organization devoted to strengthening support for Israel in American politics. Its emergence was associated with a changing advocacy environment in which organizations with different ideological approaches competed to define the terms of debate over Israel, U.S. foreign policy, and the Middle East. Bill Kristol said the group was partly inspired by the ability of the liberal organization J Street to draw attention to criticism of the Israeli government. The committee therefore presented itself as a counterweight to what its founders regarded as insufficiently supportive or excessively critical views. The organization’s early structure included prominent conservative figures. Its board was reported to include William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard; Gary Bauer, a former Republican presidential candidate; and Rachel Abrams, a conservative writer who was later described as a former board member. Noah Pollak was identified as executive director. The available material also identifies Michael Goldfarb among the organization’s founding figures. The group’s leadership and legal structure may have changed over time, but current details are not established by the available sources. From its beginning, the committee emphasized electoral intervention. Pollak stated that it intended to participate in congressional races and to use aggressive messaging to challenge candidates. In the 2010 election cycle, the organization ran advertisements against Joe Sestak in a Senate contest and against Rush D. Holt Jr., Mary Jo Kilroy, and John F. Tierney in House contests. The advertisements portrayed the candidates as openly hostile to Israel, placing the committee within the wider field of independent political groups seeking to influence foreign-policy voting records and candidate reputations. The committee subsequently expanded its communications work into movement criticism and issue advocacy. In October 2011, it released a video portraying Occupy Wall Street as antisemitic. The claim prompted criticism from observers who did not find supporting evidence at demonstration sites. In February 2012, the committee released a documentary about Barack Obama’s record on Israel. The film was intended to influence perceptions of the administration’s Middle East policy and reportedly attracted approximately 200,000 views during its first week. Iran’s nuclear program became another central subject of the organization’s advocacy. In June 2012, it purchased advertising in New York, Washington, D.C., and additional markets calling on the U.S. government to act immediately against the Iranian nuclear program. Later in 2012, the committee used a robo-call that juxtaposed statements by Obama from different years with a Netanyahu speech, presenting the edited material as though the two leaders were debating one another. Pollak said that more purportedly secret Obama-Netanyahu recordings would follow. In January 2013, the committee launched a website opposing Chuck Hagel’s nomination as secretary of defense. The nomination campaign illustrated the group’s willingness to intervene not only in elections but also in executive-branch personnel decisions. Across these activities, the organization relied on advertising, video, online publishing, telephone outreach, and other forms of political communication rather than commercial products or services. The available reference material does not establish the organization’s current activity level, continuing leadership, funding, formal headquarters, or legal status. It is consequently best described as a U.S. political advocacy organization with an uncertain present status rather than as a conventional operating company or consumer brand.

• 2013

  Campaign against Chuck Hagel nomination

  [1]Emergency Committee for Israelen.wikipedia.org

  The committee launched a website opposing Chuck Hagel’s nomination to serve as U.S. secretary of defense.

• 2012

  Obama documentary released

  [1]Emergency Committee for Israelen.wikipedia.org

  The committee published a documentary examining and criticizing Barack Obama’s record on Israel; reference material reports approximately 200,000 views in its first week.

• 2012

  Iran nuclear program advertising

  [1]Emergency Committee for Israelen.wikipedia.org

  The group ran advertisements urging immediate U.S. action to end Iran’s nuclear program in New York, Washington, D.C., and other markets.

• 2011

  Occupy Wall Street video

  [1]Emergency Committee for Israelen.wikipedia.org

  The organization released a video alleging antisemitism in the Occupy Wall Street movement, prompting critical commentary about the evidentiary basis of the claim.

• 2010

  Organization founded

  [1]Emergency Committee for Israelen.wikipedia.org

  The Emergency Committee for Israel was established in the United States as a conservative advocacy group focused on U.S.-Israel relations and political debate over Israel.

• 2010

  Initial congressional campaigns

  [1]Emergency Committee for Israelen.wikipedia.org

  The committee began running advertisements against several Democratic congressional candidates, including Joe Sestak, Rush D. Holt Jr., Mary Jo Kilroy, and John F. Tierney.

A forceful, conservative political advocacy organization focused on strengthening U.S. support for Israel, challenging criticism of Israel, influencing congressional elections and nominations, and advocating a hard-line approach to Iran’s nuclear program.

• 2013Stop Hagel campaign

  United States

  The organization launched a website and advocacy effort opposing Chuck Hagel’s nomination as secretary of defense.

  Source
• 2012Obama Israel-record documentary

  United States

  A documentary criticized President Obama’s record on Israel and reportedly reached approximately 200,000 views during its first week.

  Source
• 2012Iran nuclear program advertising

  United States

  Television or other paid advertising called for immediate U.S. action against Iran’s nuclear program and appeared in New York, Washington, D.C., and additional markets.

  Source
• 2012Obama-Netanyahu robo-call

  United States

  The committee distributed an edited call combining remarks by Obama and Netanyahu to simulate a debate and announced plans for additional recordings.

  Source
• 2011Occupy Wall Street antisemitism video

  United States

  A video accused the Occupy Wall Street movement of antisemitism and became a target of criticism from commentators who disputed the allegation.

  Source
• 2010Congressional candidate advertising

  United States

  The committee ran advertisements opposing Joe Sestak, Rush D. Holt Jr., Mary Jo Kilroy, and John F. Tierney, presenting them as hostile to Israel.

  Source

• 2013

  Oppose Chuck Hagel’s defense nominationStrategy

  Background

  Chuck Hagel’s nomination to become secretary of defense created an opportunity for advocacy groups to contest the nominee’s views and record.

  Action taken

  The committee launched a dedicated website opposing the nomination.

  Source

• 2012

  Escalate advocacy on Iran’s nuclear programStrategy

  Background

  The committee treated Iran’s nuclear program as a major issue in U.S. Middle East policy.

  Action taken

  It ran advertising in several U.S. markets urging immediate government action to end Iran’s nuclear program.

  Source

• 2010

  Adopt direct involvement in congressional racesStrategy

  Background

  The organization was created as a counterweight to liberal criticism of Israeli government policy and sought to demonstrate the influence a small advocacy group could exert.

  Action taken

  Executive director Noah Pollak stated that the committee would enter congressional contests and use hard-hitting communications.

  Aftermath

  The organization ran advertisements against multiple Democratic congressional candidates during its first election cycle.

  Source

1. 1Emergency Committee for Israelen.wikipedia.org