And yet, despite this, only 4% of elected members of the House support even a temporary ceasefire, and the United States continues to veto U.N. resolutions working towards ending the violence. Walter Hixson<\/a>, a historian concentrating on U.S. foreign relations, told MintPress News<\/i>:<\/p>\n Unfettered support for Israel and the lobby consistently puts the United States at odds with international human rights organizations and the vast majority of nations over Israel\u2019s war crimes and blatant violations of international law. The current U.N. vote on a ceasefire in Gaza [which the U.S. vetoed<\/a>] is just the latest example.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Here, Hixson is referring to the pro-Israel lobby, a loose connection of influential groups that spend millions on pressure campaigns, outreach programs, and donations to American politicians, all with one goal in mind: making sure the United States supports the Israeli government\u2019s policies full stop, including backing Israeli expansion, blocking Palestinian statehood and opposing a growing boycott divestment and sanctions movement (BDS) at home.<\/p>\n Internationally, Israel has lost virtually all its support. But it still has one major backer: the United States government. Part of this is undoubtedly down to the extraordinary lengths the lobby goes to secure backing, including showering U.S. politicians with millions of dollars in contributions. In this investigation, MintPress News<\/i>breaks down the top ten currently serving politicians<\/a> who have taken the most pro-Israel cash since 1990.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The largest recipient of Israel lobby money is President Joe Biden. From the beginning of his political career, Biden, according to<\/a> his biographer Branko Marcetic<\/a>, \u201cestablished himself as an implacable friend of Israel,\u201d spending his Senate career \u201cshowering Israel with unquestioning support, even when its behavior elicited bipartisan outrage.\u201d The future president was a key figure in securing record sums of U.S. aid to the Jewish state and helped block a 1998 peace proposal with Palestine.<\/p>\n The support for Israeli policies has continued into the present, with his administration insisting<\/a> that there are \u201cno red lines\u201d that it could cross that would cause it to lose American support. In essence, Biden has given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a carte blanche to break any rules, norms or laws he wishes to.<\/p>\n This has included ethnic cleansing and war crimes such as the bombing of schools, hospitals and places of worship using banned weapons like white phosphorous munitions. The arms Israel is using come supplied directly by the U.S. In November, the Biden administration rubber-stamped<\/a> another $14.5 billion military aid package to Israel, ensuring the carnage would continue.<\/p>\n For his staunch support, Biden has received more than $4.3 million from pro-Israel groups since 1990.<\/p>\n The New Jersey senator has received nearly $2.5 million in contributions and, in the wake of the Hamas attack on October 7, has been a key figure in drumming up support for Israel. Describing Operation Al-Aqsa Flood as \u201cbarbaric atrocities\u201d that were an \u201caffront to humankind itself,\u201d Men\u00e9ndez gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor where he addressed Biden directly, stating<\/a>:<\/p>\n Mr. President, in the face of unspeakable evil, we must not mince words. We must not waver in our resolve. Every single one of us in this chamber has a moral responsibility to speak out \u2014 unequivocally and unapologetically \u2014 as we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel and her people. I\u2019ve been staunchly devoted to this cause for 31 years in Congress.\u201d#1 JOE BIDEN, $4,346,264<\/b><\/h3>\n
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#2 ROBERT MEN\u00c9NDEZ, $2,483,205<\/b><\/h3>\n
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