To all those, from Rashida Tlaib on "the left" to Candance Owen on "the right", who bitch about AIPAC - here are some numbers
New data from OpenSecrets and the US Department of Justice shows Israel spent $8.19 million on registered FARA lobbying in 2023. In parallel, AIPAC — entirely US-funded — invested $126.9 million in the 2024 election cycle, bringing total pro-Israel lobbying and advocacy to roughly $135 million across 2023–2024.
By contrast, four Arab states — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait — poured $129.8 million into US lobbying in 2023 alone, a 15.8-to-1 ratio over Israel’s foreign spending.
The Department of Education further reports that these Gulf states have funneled $13.65 billion into US universities since 1981, including $1.46 billion in 2023 alone, underscoring their vast and sustained influence operations across American politics and academia.