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September 3, 2004/Elul 17 5763, Vol. 55, No. 50
AIPAC finds itself under scrutiny
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
NEW YORK - In its outreach to potential support-ers and to the media, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee touts its access to the highest levels of govern-ment.
Now it's that very access that has thrust the pro-Israel lobby, accustomed to working behind the scenes, into the limelight.
Accusations that AIPAC officials received classified information from a Pentagon staffer and forwarded it on to Israel broke on the eve of this week's Republican National Convention in New York, where AIPAC is hosting several policy forums for Republican contributors.
According to media accounts, a non-Jewish officer on the Iranian desk at the Pentagon, Larry Franklin, is being investigated for passing at least one classified document to AIPAC officials, which may then have been forwarded to Israeli officials in Washington.
Reports have suggested that Franklin could face charges ranging from espionage to the mishandling of classified information.
New reports also suggested that Naor Gilon, minister of political affairs of the Israeli embassy in Washington, was the subject of an FBI investi-gation on suspicion of espio-nage for Israel when Franklin came to the investigators' attention more than a year ago.
Both Israel and AIPAC deny any impropriety in the case. Many U.S. Jews believe, or hope, that no charges will be filed and that the issue will fade from the headlines in coming days.
But the charges, and their prominent play in the media, have reopened questions about the way AIPAC does business with the U.S. and Israeli governments.
AIPAC's grassroots advocacy and political lobbying depart-ments get most of the attention, but the organization also has a thriving think tank that works to influence Middle East policy at the highest levels of government.
To those who work with AIPAC in Washington, or have worked for the organization itself, the idea of information being passed from government officials to AIPAC staffers to Israelis seems almost com-monplace.
After all, these people see each other on almost a daily basis, at think-tank lunches and policy meetings through-out the capital.
It's unclear how much of the information AIPAC receives is forwarded to Israeli officials, but the coordination between the Jewish state and its advocates in Washington is considerable.
Most Israeli officials who travel to Washington meet with AIPAC and exchange information. But Israeli officials also have strong ties to the Bush administration, and receive much information directly from American gov-ernmental sources, without need of intermediaries.
One congressional staffer said it was understood in Washington that AIPAC had access to the highest sources in both the U.S. and Israeli governments, and could get most information it wanted.
"They are very astute at knowing who will know what they would like to find out," said the staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity be-cause the FBI investigation is ongoing. "It's simply under-stood, based on the success they've had."
Dr. Eugene Schupak, a member of the AIPAC national board of directors who lives in Scottsdale, said, "Much has been written in the past few days about the FBI investigation of an analyst in the Defense Department and his alleged transfer of classified material to Israel via AIPAC.
"I would like to assure all that any claim that AIPAC or any employee of AIPAC has in any way transmitted classified material to Israel is totally and completely false and baseless," he added.
Staff writer Michael Miklofsky contributed to this article.
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