The Soros pincer move on Israel

By Ed Lasky

George Soros is deeply hostile to current American support for Israel. He publicly criticizes AIPAC and is exploring opportunities to form an anti-AIPAC. He also plans to launch a European version of the Council of Foreign Relations. Now, it seems as if George Soros may be launching yet another effort to try to influence the course of policy regarding Israel.

As many people may know, The Conference of the Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations and the Jewish Center for Public Affairs produces a daily compendium of news items regarding Israel that is often sent to major decision-makers and news outlets (the Daily Alert). Though this service carries news items from a diverse range of outlets (including the New York Times, Arab news sources and the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper) one influential Washington, D.C-based think tank, the Center for American Progress (CAP), thinks that the Daily Alert is too favorable towards Israel. CAP just launched an alternative news and opinion service dubbed: The Middle East Bulletin. Given the time constraints that many people labor under, and the cutback in news gathering and analysis that media outlets have had to endure, given the changing economics of the industry, news services such as these alerts are becoming increasingly relied upon.

The bulletin will go out three times a week and will be delivered via the internet to media outlets, Congressmen, and decision-makers around the world.

How does George Soros fit in this picture? The Center for American Progress receives funding from George Soros. The first "issue" of the Middle East News Bulletin itself gives credit for "the support and cooperation of Americans for Peace Now, Geneva Initiative Israel Policy Forum and the New Israel Fund." None of these organizations are supportive of AIPAC and have proudly taken positions contrary to those of AIPAC and its many supporters.

Furthermore, Soros funds Media Matters- purportedly a media "monitoring" group. However, the group has an agenda. The group has been criticized for trying to censor the news by its criticisms and for "spinning" the news so as to give its readers a particular view of the events of the day.

One new group has been launched to deliver its choices of news and opinion to stovepipe to decision-makers and media outlets; the other group was formed to pressure media outlets regarding their presentations of the news. Seems as if an effort is being made to mold the news in a particular direction -- one that may not be favorable towards Israel or the American-Israel relationship.

This "pincer move" bears watching.

Ed Lasky is news editor of American Thinker.