Emergency Committee for Israel

The Emergency Committee for Israel (ECI) defines its mission as "mounting an active defense of the US-Israel relationship by educating the public about the positions of political candidates on this important issue, and by keeping the public informed of the latest developments in both countries." Formed in July 2010 as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit political organization, it unites "The hawkish, neoconservative wing of the Republican Party, many of whom are Jewish, and conservative Evangelical Christians who have become increasingly outspoken in their support for Israel."

Its founding Board of Directors consists of William Kristol, Gary Bauer, and Rachel Abrams. Kristol is often considered the dean of neoconservatives. Bauer is a Christian Zionist. Abrams is the writer-blogger spouse of Elliott Abrams and daughter of Midge Decter and Norman Podhoretz.

Matthew Duss, a research associate at the Center for American Progress, reported that the group's offices have been used by other neoconservative organizations, and are also the address of Randy Scheunemann's public relations firm. Scheunemann, a Republican consultant, is the foreign policy trainer to Sarah Palin, ran the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, was the staff director for the Project for the New American Century, and an ally of Ahmed Chalabi. Michael Goldfarb, who works for Scheunemann, is an adviser to the Emergency Committee, and also to another group co-founded by Kristol and Liz Cheney, Keep America Safe.

Duss quoted Goldfarb as saying that the Committee had no position on the two-state solution, which has been opposed by board member Gary Bauer:

“the group doesn’t have a position on the creation of a Palestinian state...ECI is for a strong US-Israel relationship and a strong, secure Israel at peace with the Palestinians and all its neighbors — but Israel is a democratic ally that must determine for itself the best way to achieve this goal,”

Its executive director, Noah Pollak, contrasted ECI with J Street.

Well, for starters, ECI is pro-Israel. Our purpose is to address three major threats to the U.S.-Israel alliance in the context of the American political debate: the Iranian nuclear program and Iran's sponsorship of terrorist groups; the campaign to delegitimize and isolate Israel; and the hostility of the Obama administration to the traditional closeness of the two nations. At bottom, we believe that the turn against Israel is a rejection of America's special role in the world as a defender of liberal democracies. We will do great damage to our own national soul if we allow ourselves to become cynical participants in the international lynching of the Jewish state.

Sestak campaign

Their first target is the Democratic candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania, Joe Sestak, as part of broader criticism of Obama Administration Mideast policy. They have accused Sestak of "appearing at a fundraiser for the Council on American Islamic Relations, which it describes as an “anti-Israel organization the FBI called a ‘front group for Hamas.’” " and endorsing a letter against the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

Denying the allegations, the Sestak campaign has sent a cease-and-desist latter to Comcast, which carries the ad.

David Frum described this action as indicative of an overall "...coming shift in the American Jewish community. While most American Jews vote Democrat, those Jews most passionately involved with Israel have felt ever-increasing mistrust of Barack Obama, his administration and his party."

Identified with the left wing of American-Israeli relations, M.J. Rosenberg, Senior Foreign Policy Fellow at Media Matters, who formerly worked for the Israel Policy Forum, wrote that the "ad could very easily stir up anti-Semitism because it suggests, rather powerfully, that American Jews care not about America but only about Israel. " He interpreted Kristol's statement that Emergency Committee is "the pro-Israel wing of the pro-Israel community." "By that, he means that unlike AIPAC, which at least invokes US security, the Emergency Committee is only about Israel."

Legal issues of foreign representation

W. Patrick Lang asked, on his blog, "Why is this new outfit not a candidate for registration under FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act)? It advocates partucular American foreign policy positions on behalf of foreign country and seeks to directly pressure legislators to adopt positions favorable to that foreign power. In a followup the next day, he asked "Have you registered as foreign agents, under the Foreign Agents Registration Act? This seems to be one of the most cut and dried cases of mandatory registration. They are openly advertising that they are serving as a lobby for Israel. And, by the way, as a string of law suits against AIPAC, and an FEC ruling against ADL make clear, foreign agents, whether individuals or organizations, cannot interfere, in any way, in U.S. electoral affairs."