Hamas’ October 7 massacre has galvanized Israel’s critics in the United States, who have advocated for upending America’s historically close relationship with the Jewish state. Since 2023, this ostensibly anti-Zionist fervor has manifested itself in myriad ways, including in the creation of PACs, backed by wealthy Muslim-Americans and leftwing Democrats, to serve as self-styled counterweights to the influential pro-Israel group AIPAC. Established earlier this year, American Priorities (see article here) has emerged as the most well-funded and perhaps effective such group to date in this midterm cycle, pledging to spend up to $10 million to boost anti-Israel progressives, and helping fuel the primary victories of numerous Democratic Socialist and DSA-adjacent candidates for U.S. Congress. There are several other PACs, however, sometimes consisting of common donors, and often supporting the same or like-minded candidates, to surface and form a burgeoning anti-Zionist network. Other entities include:
- Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption, established in 2025, which claims that “The genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank demands nothing less than a fundamental shift in U.S. foreign policy toward justice and human rights,” and both backs candidates and maintains a tracker of “AIPAC influence” in order “to dismantle AIPAC’s grip on Congress.” FEC records show the PAC has raised $1.3 million this cycle, counting among its largest donors automobile industry entrepreneur Sam Mahrouq, one of the largest American Priorities donors to date, whose political-religious activism can also be seen in his service on the Mayor’s Muslim Advisory Council in Arlington, Texas. Bothaina Salama Mohamed, an unemployed donor of some $150,000 to American Priorities, also cut a $1,000 check to the entity. Stephanie Nadi Olson, a Georgia-based Palestinian-American and member of the Tech for Palestine advocacy group, who has likewise contributed $50,000 to American Priorities, also cut a $500 check to Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption. (Amir Nathoo, the co-founder and CEO of children’s education marketplace Outschool, who also sits on the board of Tech for Palestine and has dedicated his efforts to “resistance to Israel’s genocide and in support of Palestinian liberation,” has likewise contributed $100,000 to American Priorities.)
- Anti-Zionist America PAC, established in 2025, which claims that “Zionism has taken over the U.S. government” and exists to “end America’s political, financial, and military entanglement with Israel” and “Remove Zionist influence from American politics.” FEC records show the PAC has raised a relatively meager sum of $195,000 this cycle – with Mahrouq among the contributors.
- Peace, Accountability, and Leadership (PAL) PAC, established in 2026, which calls “ending Israel’s ongoing human rights abuses against Palestinians and stopping U.S. complicity in and backing of Israel’s apartheid system, illegal theft of Palestinian land, and genocide against Palestinians” a defining priority. FEC records show the PAC raised a relatively paltry sum of $78,000 this cycle. It has endorsed nearly every candidate that has received financial support from American Priorities.
- Unity & Justice Fund, a super PAC established in 2024 by Basim Elkarra, the national executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations’ advocacy arm, CAIR Action, and former longtime chair of CAIR California. FEC records show the PAC has raised roughly $340,000 this cycle. CAIR, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case, one of the largest terrorism financing prosecutions in U.S. history, and which was founded by individuals who led an alleged Hamas propaganda arm, and seemingly at the urging of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee, has been designated as a terror organization by several Arab nations and the states of Florida and Texas. American Priorities-backed Democratic nominee for the House from New Jersey’s 12th District Adam Hamawy’s sole paid staffer hails from the self-described “largest Muslim civil liberties organization” in America. While the PAC’s website speaks vaguely to its support for “candidates who are committed to fostering just domestic and foreign policy,” a photo carousel betrays its focus with an image conveying the message “Free Palestine.” CAIR and its boosters have made clear that it is linked to the organization, including in backing like-minded candidates such as Democratic New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Tech entrepreneur Idris Mokhtarzada cut a $5,000 check to the group last year. Bothaina Salama Mohamed also donated $5,175 to the CAIR-linked group. The fund contributed at least $120,000 to the New Yorkers for Lower Costs PAC, a key independent expenditure vehicle for Mayor Mamdani’s victory.
- Emgage PAC, the self-described largest Muslim American political action committee. It is part of a family of organizations “dedicated to building Muslim American political power at every level of government” that includes Emgage Action, the group’s advocacy arm that has devoted its energies in part to “champion[ing] Palestinian rights,” where Nazar Khan, a top American Priorities backer, serves as a board member, among other Islamic philanthropic pursuits. FEC records show the PAC has raised roughly $385,000 this cycle. Emgage PAC has endorsed American Priorities-backed Democratic nominees including Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate from Michigan, Claire Valdez for the House from New York’s 7th District, Brad Lander for the House from New York’s 10th District, and Hamawy. Khan has contributed $11,540 to the PAC since 2020.
