Grant Smith

Grant F. Smith is the author of the new book Divert! NUMEC, Zalman Shapiro and the diversion of U.S. weapons-grade uranium into the Israeli nuclear weapons program. He is director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy in Washington, D.C.

Five Things You Can’t Know About Israel and Its Lobby

Since 9/11 Israel and its lobby have been hard at work narrowing U.S. policy options toward Iran down to military confrontation. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is also in the narrowing business. After initially complying with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and releasing information about Israel’s extensive nuclear weapons … Continue reading “Five Things You Can’t Know About Israel and Its Lobby”

Fraud at Israeli Military Contractor Oran Safety Glass

The manufacture and sale of "transparent armor" to the Department of Defense to protect personnel operating military vehicles has long been a mature industry in the United States. When the Department of Defense issued a series of U.S. Army contracts for windows to be installed in "mine-resistant ambush-protected" all-terrain vehicles known as "MRAPs" in 2014, … Continue reading “Fraud at Israeli Military Contractor Oran Safety Glass”

US Should Support Israeli Land Grabs Say AIPAC Think-Tankers

It is always worthwhile to monitor – before it’s too late – policy recommendations emerging from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC ecosystem. Since 1984 that ecosystem includes AIPAC’s associated think tank, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Two WINEP thought leaders are currently advancing a serious proposal for the US to help … Continue reading “US Should Support Israeli Land Grabs Say AIPAC Think-Tankers”

Americans Oppose Israel Lobby Junkets

Seventy members of the U.S. Congress (16% of the total membership) are visiting Israel during recess. Most of the private funding for the junket arrives through an entity called the American Israel Education Foundation. AIEF officially formed as a "supporting organization of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee" (AIPAC) in 1988 and applied for tax … Continue reading “Americans Oppose Israel Lobby Junkets”

Only 5.7% of Americans Say Israel Is the Top Meddler in US Elections

Mainstream news coverage of foreign government influence on U.S. elections has been extensive since allegations first surfaced about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race. According to a new poll, a solid 60.0% majority of Americans now believe Russia is the single top meddler in US elections, followed by China (16.4%) and the United Kingdom … Continue reading “Only 5.7% of Americans Say Israel Is the Top Meddler in US Elections”

Lesson From FBI’s ‘Niger Uranium Forgeries’ File

An analysis of 640 pages of FBI investigatory records obtained by IRmep under the Freedom of Information Act reveals how the FBI Director limited Senator John D. Rockefeller’s urgent 2003 written demand for accountability over faulty Iraq war intelligence into a narrow overseas investigation. The released files, originally scheduled for declassification on December 31, 2028 … Continue reading “Lesson From FBI’s ‘Niger Uranium Forgeries’ File”

Gallup Quietly Admits ‘Israeli vs. Palestinian’ Sympathy Polls Are Misleading

Pollster Gallup admitted on March 28 that three decades of polling data contain fundamental flaws "well beyond what we would attribute to normal sampling error." Gallup’s admission centers on its high-stakes question of whether Americans have greater sympathy for Israelis or for Palestinians. Gallup loudly trumpeted that Americans "increasingly sympathized with Israel in recent years." … Continue reading “Gallup Quietly Admits ‘Israeli vs. Palestinian’ Sympathy Polls Are Misleading”

Poll: Only 22.2% in US Sympathize More With Israelis

On March 6 Gallup claimed 59% of Americans sympathized more with the Israelis and only 21% sympathized more with the Palestinians. The poll was part of a multi-question survey fielded by telephone. Gallup’s question was, "In the Middle East situation, are your sympathies more with the Israelis or more with the Palestinians?" Gallup said this … Continue reading “Poll: Only 22.2% in US Sympathize More With Israelis”

Do Members of Congress Take Too Many Private Trips to Israel With AIPAC?

One of every three members of Congress boarding a jetliner on a privately-funded all-expense paid trip overseas has Israel as their final destination. Only one out of a hundred ever visits Palestinian territories as a final destination. Analysis of Gift Travel Filings made to the US House of Representatives Office of the Clerk over the … Continue reading “Do Members of Congress Take Too Many Private Trips to Israel With AIPAC?”

Poll: 75% of Americans Oppose Outlawing Boycotts of Israel

New legislation passed in the Senate seeks to legalize the right of individual state governments to force American companies to certify they won’t engage in economic boycotts of Israel as a condition for receiving government contracts. The "Combating BDS Act of 2019" is embedded as Title IV within the ‘‘Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle … Continue reading “Poll: 75% of Americans Oppose Outlawing Boycotts of Israel”