User:Gabi S./PPL
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The Pro-Palestinian Lobby refers to any special interest group that lobbies the United States Government and EU's legislative bodies, promoting Palestinian interests, often at the expense of Israel[1], [2]. The lobby groups also seek to affect media outlets, and actively spread Palestinian propaganda.
The following political pressure groups are actively involved in promotion of the Palestinian agenda, and can be seen as part of the lobby (as explained below):
- Palestine Solidarity Movement
- Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights
- Europalestine
- International Solidarity Movement
- Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights
- Jewish Voice for Peace
- IPSC (Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign)
- Conservative Middle East Council
- Muslim Association of Britain
- Sufi Muslim Council
- Muslim Council of Britain
The lobby has had several achievements, including the following:
- Israel boycott by the Canadian Union of Public Employees
- Divestment from corporations operating in Israel by the Presbyterian Church
- Promotion of the interests of Palestinians by the United Church of Canada.
- British director Ken Loach support for a boycott on Israeli cultural institutions, citing "the appeals of Palestinian comrades".[3]
- International film festivals that have cancelled the participation of Israeli filmmakers.[4]
The lobby groups are loosely organized, but are all actively doing advocacy for Palestinian interests. Here are some examples:
- The Council for the National Interest (CNI) contains both a nonprofit lobby and an educational foundation [5].
- CNI offers internships to applicants that have "congressional lobbying experience ..., experience in media relations, a willingness to write Op-Ed pieces, and an interest in research." [6]
- In its Mission statement, the American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights (AAPER) defines itself as "a lobbying organization whose mission is to shape a US foreign policy that advances the interests and ideals of the American people in supporting the liberty, equality and human rights of Palestinians... AAPER is America's first congressional lobby to advocate solely for Palestinian rights." [7]
- AAPER is divided into two distinct nonprofit organizations with complementary missions: one focused on education and the other devoted to lobbying. By providing direct lobbying, legislative research and writing and political campaign support, the organization hopes to support the "great cause of Palestinian rights to freedom and equality." [8]
- The International Solidarity Movement explicitly calls for affecting media outlets and for lobbying [9].
- The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) calls for "lobbying against the ... practices of the Israeli state." [10].