Nigel Farage: ‘Jewish Lobby’ Has Outsize Influenced In US Politics

Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom's Independence Party, arrives to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage opined Monday on what he said is the disproportionate influence that the “Jewish lobby, with its links with the Israeli government,” has on American politics.

During his call-in show Tuesday on the British radio station LBC, a listener asked about the difference in attention paid to Russian meddling in the 2016 election in the United States — during which Farage campaigned for Donald Trump — and “AIPAC and the Israeli lobby, and their involvement in American politics and elections.”

AIPAC, or the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is perhaps the most influential pro-Israel lobbying group in American politics, and presidential candidates and other political figures regularly address its annual convention. Both Trump and Hillary Clinton did in 2016.

But, rather than addressing the Israel lobby as such, Farage described it as a “Jewish lobby.”

“That’s a reasonable point,” he began in response. “Because there are about 6 million Jewish people living in America, so as a percentage, it’s quite small, but in terms of influence, it’s quite big.”

He added later, after the caller said Israel had both major parties “in their pocket,” that “in terms of money and influence, they are a very powerful lobby.”

Concluding the call, Farage said of the caller: “He makes the point that there are other, very powerful foreign lobbies in the United States of America, and the Jewish lobby, with its links with the Israeli government, is one of those strong voices.”

Watch Farage’s comments below. The call in question begins at 24:00.

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