Since October 7, 2023, the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF) has funded at least 78 congressional trips to Israel at a total cost exceeding $4.2 million, according to public records. The delegations included at least 26 Democratic and 52 Republican representatives across 15 or more groups of lawmakers and staff.
The trips averaged more than $26,600 per participant and featured stays at luxury hotels, dining at high-end restaurants, and briefings in at least one West Bank settlement, as detailed in congressional ethics filings. Some lawmakers, including Democrats Steny Hoyer, Greg Landsman, and Brad Schneider, took multiple AIEF-funded trips during this period. Schneider’s travel costs totaled over $44,200 because his wife accompanied him, according to public records.
AIEF-funded travel paused for several months following the October 7 attacks and the start of the war in Gaza, resuming in March 2024. One March 2024 delegation included eight Democratic members and a staff member who visited Israeli military installations along the Lebanese border and an Israeli military cemetery.
Participants met with Israeli officials, military contractors, civil society figures, and advocates for the annexation of the West Bank and the displacement of Palestinians from Jerusalem. Among those met was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
AIEF is a charitable affiliate of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) and holds non-profit status that enables it to fund overseas travel for U.S. officials—a function that would be prohibited for Aipac itself under federal lobbying rules. Though legally distinct, AIEF uses Aipac infrastructure, including office space. Incorporated in 1988, AIEF has long served as the vehicle for week-long Israel trips aimed at educating new members of Congress and senior aides about U.S.-Israel relations.
“AIEF missions are designed to educate participants about the U.S.-Israel relationship, the security concerns confronting our closest ally in the Middle East, and the geo-strategic challenges and opportunities in the region,” said Deryn Sousa, a spokesperson. “Participants visit historical and religious sites throughout the country and meet with Israeli officials and civilians from across the political spectrum who offer a diverse range of perspectives and opinions, offering well-rounded insights and full transparency into the complex culture, geography, politics and prospects for peace.”
Stephen Walt, a professor of international relations at Harvard’s Kennedy School, said: “These trips have been a standard tool for building support for Israel on Capitol Hill. Agreeing to go on one of these trips is also a litmus test for politicians who want to signal a pro-Israel position to Aipac and to important donors.” Other organizations, including J Street, the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, and the Atlantic Council, also sponsor congressional travel to Israel.