Kings of Capitol Hill
הלובי | Mor Loushy | Israel, 2020 | English | Documentary | 90m | DCP | IMDB | Distributor/Sales: Submarine Entertainment | Festival marketing sample: DocAviv 2020
Description: There are two major turning points identified in this fascinating survey of the powerful and secretive American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The sleepy one man-shop established by Isaiah L. Kennan in 1951 was first transformed when Thomas Dine took over in 1980. Under his leadership AIPAC grassroots campaigns helped defeat Senators Paul Findley (R) by Richard Durbin (D) in 1982 and Charles Percy (R) by Paul Simon (D) in 1984. These two coups established AIPAC as a feared powerbroker in Washington.
Dine was ousted by the board, he claims here, due to his support for a Palestinian state. Howard Kohr, who took over as CEO in 1996, after a brief interim tenure by Neal Sher, has taken the organisation much further to the right, eschewing bipartisanship and firmly aligning with the Republican Party. AIPAC has been unreservedly supportive of Netanyahu’s government policies. His decision to actively oppose Obama’s Iran nuclear deal before Congress has alienated Democrats. Indeed, all of the 2020 Democratic presidential contenders boycotted the recent AIPAC Policy Conference. The organisation has also been co-operating with American Evangelists, such as pastor John Hagee who appear to be supportive of any provocation that could inflame tribulations and hasten Rapture.
While current AIPAC leadership declined to participate in this documentary, Loushy gained access to many former officials and supporters who have become disillusioned with the new direction. Some are now active in J Street and #IfNotNow. Ben Rhodes, Obama’s Deputy National Security Adviser discusses Obama’s reaction to Nethanyahu’s posturings.
Merits: One of Israel’s veteran political documentary filmmakers, Loushy’s new effort offers several insights. One of her interviewees contends that the period immediately following the Oslo Accords was a low point of financial support for AIPAC. The organisation seemed less relevant to American Jewry when Israel is not under threat. Ergo, a more confrontational Israel validates AIPAC’s existence. One of the liberal former AIPAC officials says that Israeli rightists prefer the support of the Evangelists, as ‘they have always been for us, when you have not’. Howard Kohr’s AIPAC appears to have learned that lesson.
Rating: Suitable for all audiences.
Programming considerations: Consider billing with ‘Til Kingdom Come. Will generate controversy in certain markets.