2026-01-05 02:36:PM <br/> Tags: #AmericanJewry #Lobby #people #Harvard ![[image-211.png|318x411]] # Morris Amitay (1936-2023) - Morris Amitay was a Jewish-American organizational leader. - Amitay was born to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe and Ottoman Palestine. - Amitay was the second executive director of [[AIPAC]], the primary Israeli lobbying organization in the United States. - Amitay was executive director from 1974-1980.[^1] - Amitay was later vice-chair of the [[Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA)]]. #### Early Political Career - Before leading [[AIPAC]] in the 1970s, Amitay career followed a very common path. *Common for the D.C. power players.* - Amitay graduated from both Columbia University and Harvard Law School. [^2] - At Harvard, Amitay was taught by [[Henry Kissinger]]. [^3] - In 1962, Amitay was appointed to a diplomatic position in the State Department. - From 1962-1969 Amitay was involved in sensitive defense and foreign policy issues where he worked with the State and Defense Departments at the "highest levels." - In 1969 Amitay moved to Capitol Hill, becoming a senior legislative aide first for Congressman Robert Kastenmeier (D-WI), and then for Senator Abraham Ribicoff (D-CT).[^3] - During these years working in D.C. (1962-1970s), Amitay cultivated a deep network of allies and associates in the nation's capital. #### AIPAC - In 1974, Amitay was recruited to succeed [[Isaiah L. Kenen]] as executive director for the [[AIPAC|American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)]].[^3] - Amitay's leadership of AIPAC from 1974-1980 resulted in rapid growth from a small personalized operation to a polished lobbying powerhouse. - Under Amitay, AIPAC became significantly more aggressive and publicly outspoken. - As executive director of AIPAC, Amitay instituted weekly confidential meetings with representatives of major Jewish organizations. [^7] - Amitay took at least two visits to Israel per year and worked closely with Israeli Ambassador to the United States [[Simcha Dinitz]]. [^7]*Dinitz was Ambassador from 1973-1979.* - Under Amitay, AIPAC greatly increased its influence within the halls of Congress. - Amitay is quoted as saying, "there are a lot of guys as the working level... who happen to be Jewish, who are willing... to look at a certain issues in terms of their Jewishness... These are all guys who are in a position to make the decision in these areas for those Senators... You can get an awful lot done just at the staff level."[^4]*Here Amitay makes a few key revelations. Most importantly, Amitay reveals that Jews are predisposed to use their positions to aid a foreign country given their "Jewishness" alone. The second revelation is the importance of mundane congressional staff level positions in relation to guiding policy.* - In 1974, Amitay joined key Israel ally Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson and Jackson's staffer [[Richard Perle]] in lobbying President Ford to back the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. - The Jackson-Vanik Amendment aimed to economically pressure the USSR to allow Jewish emigration. - In 1976, the Ford Administration sent classified information to specific congressional committees regarding a planned sale of hawk anti-aircraft missiles to Jordan. - Amitay was informed of the classified weapons sale by congressional staffers.[^5] - AIPAC and Amitay immediately launched a lobbying campaign in opposition to the sale, citing the danger this could put Israel in. - The sale was put on ice for 8 months during which Jordan considered going to the Soviets for weapons. - Amitay faced no criticism or punishment by AIPAC for his use of classified information. [^5] - In 1980, Amitay resigned from AIPAC. - He was replaced by [[Tom Dine]]. #### After AIPAC - After leaving [[AIPAC]] in 1980, Amitay went to work lobbying for Israeli and American defense contractors. - Amitay's clients included Northrop-Grumman, BAE Systems, General Dynamics, [[Elbit Systems]], and [[Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)]].[^2] - In 1981, Amitay founded the Washington PAC to funnel money to pro-Israel candidates.[^6] - The Washington PAC filled a gap in the Israel lobby; AIPAC heavily lobbied congress and vetted candidates, but did not have its own dedicated PAC to spend money on races. *In 2022 AIPAC launched its own PAC and super PAC for the first time.* - As vice-chairman of the [[Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA)]], Amitay led the annual escort of retired American Generals and Admirals at least 16 times.[^2] - Amitay was a founder of the non-defunct Coalition for Democracy in Iran, a [[Neoconservatism|Neoconservative]] anti-Iran advocacy organization.[^8] - The Coalition for Democracy in Iran advocated for regime change in Iran. - The organization was founded in Amitay's office and was backed figures and organizations like [[Michael Ledeen]], [[James Woolsey]], and the [[American Enterprise Institute (AEI)]]. - In May of 2003, Amitay attended an [[American Enterprise Institute (AEI)]] forum on Iran and the War on Terror. - The forum, which Amitay attended as the head of the Coalition for Democracy in Iran, was cosponsored by the [[Hudson Institute]] and the [[Foundation for Defense of Democracies]]. - The event was moderated by [[Meyrav Wurmser]], the Israeli wife of [[David Wurmser]]. - Amitay was a member of the [[Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)]].[^6] #### Recommended Reading - The Israel Lobby - John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt #### References [^1]: _Morris J. Amitay_, Wikipedia, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_J._Amitay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_J._Amitay). [^2]: Morris J. Amitay, “Morris J. Amitay,” JINSA, November 18, 2016, [https://jinsa.org/person/morris-j-amitay/](https://jinsa.org/person/morris-j-amitay/). [^3]: Emily Langer, “Morris Amitay, ardent advocate for Israel, dies at 86,” _The Washington Post_, Via Internet Archive, February 13, 2023, [https://web.archive.org/web/20230320165927/https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/02/13/morris-amitay-aipac-israel-dead/](https://web.archive.org/web/20230320165927/https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/02/13/morris-amitay-aipac-israel-dead/). [^4]: John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt, _The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy_ (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007), 153. [^5]: Grant F. Smith, _Amicus Curiae Brief in Steven J. Rosen v. American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Inc._, February 3, 2012, 4–6, [https://www.israellobby.org/rosen/02032012brief.pdf](https://www.israellobby.org/rosen/02032012brief.pdf). [^6]: _Morris Amitay_, _Militarist Monitor_, last updated March 21, 2014, [https://militarist-monitor.org/profile/morris-amitay/](https://militarist-monitor.org/profile/morris-amitay/). [^7]: David Binder, “The Israel Lobby in Washington Is Small and Effective,” _The New York Times_, August 8, 1975, [https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/08/archives/the-israel-lobby-in-washington-is-small-and-effective.html](https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/08/archives/the-israel-lobby-in-washington-is-small-and-effective.html). [^8]: _Coalition for Democracy in Iran_, Militarist Monitor, [https://militarist-monitor.org/profile/coalition_for_democracy_in_iran/](https://militarist-monitor.org/profile/coalition_for_democracy_in_iran/).