The Israel Lobby and the European Union

The Israeli state and wider Israel lobby have diligently sought to divert attention away from Israel’s crimes. This report examines a number of groups in the lobby in Europe, seeking to cast light on their activities, personnel and networks as well as how they are funded and whom precisely they represent.

Western politicians’ acquiescence to the Israeli narrative is made possible partly because there is a significant international network of groups dedicated to preserving the notion that ‘a democratic Israel is merely acting in self-defence against Palestinian rocket fire’. These groups often work together or are aligned and many have close connections with the Israeli government and its diplomats. Collectively, they make up what is often known as the Israel lobby. In this report we use the term Israel lobby to refer to a range of think tanks, lobby groups, media related organisations and those that stand behind them in the Israeli government or in conservative foundations or other sources of funding.