Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene says she is 'not controlled' by pro-Israel AIPAC

Far-right US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene declared on Monday that she was "not controlled" by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the powerful pro-Israel lobby group, in a statement posted on X.

The Republican representative made the comment after expressing support for the release of Edan Alexander, a dual US-Israeli citizen and Israeli soldier, who was the latest captive to be freed from Gaza.

"This is wonderful news! Let’s also hope to see an end to that war," Greene wrote, quoting former President Donald Trump's announcement of the release during his visit to Saudi Arabia.

"I'm not controlled by big pharma, the military-industrial complex, or AIPAC. And I'm not suicidal nor depressed, and I never have been. I’m actually very happy and extremely healthy and I love my life," she added.

The remark drew backlash online, with many pointing out that if she hadn't been influenced by AIPAC, then her support for Israel's brutal onslaught on Gaza was a matter of personal conviction.

"That's kinda worse, since it means you've voted to fund Israel's genocide out of conviction," an X user replied, while others questioned why such a statement was necessary.

AIPAC has increasingly come under fire for targeting elected officials critical of Israel, especially those who opposed military aid or called for a ceasefire during Israel's war on Gaza. The group launched an ad blitz last month against US senators who voted to block a multibillion-dollar arms package for Israel.

Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 61,700 Palestinians and left the Gaza Strip in a state of humanitarian collapse. Aid agencies report that emergency supplies of food, fuel, and medicine have been blocked for over two months.

AIPAC's influence and controversy

Critics say AIPAC has grown more aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government than with broader US or Israeli public opinion. Advocacy groups like DAWN (Democracy for the Arab World Now) have accused the lobby of stifling dissent and backing hardline policies.

The group has also faced backlash for its aggressive messaging tactics. Last year, it ran an ad featuring an altered image of Missouri Representative Cori Bush, a prominent progressive and one of the few Black women in Congress. The edited image exaggerated Bush's features, prompting accusations of racism.

Bush's campaign condemned the ad, saying: "It is shameful that in 2024 our communities are still being targeted with such blatant racism…The people of St. Louis deserve better than to see their first Black congresswoman distorted into a caricature."