Bankrolling genocide: The biggest donors to AIPAC, America's leading Zionist lobby group

By Ivan Kesic

The most recently published list of donors to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the notorious Zionist lobby group in the US, includes some well-known and some lesser-known figures from the American corporate community. 

On March 13, the anti-Zionist advocacy group TrackAIPAC published on its X platform, formerly Twitter, the latest list of major donors to AIPAC and its allies through 2023-2024.

The list includes 231 names, mostly billionaires and corporate executives, as well as companies, who donated a total of $75,762,055 to the pro-Israel lobby group, the biggest in the US.

Fifteen of them donated over $1 million, thirteen over half a million, and about two hundred of the remaining over $100,000, which is the lower limit for inclusion on the top donor list.

Million- and multimillion-dollar donors collectively contributed about $35.4 million, or almost half of all those on the list, as examined by the Press TV website.

TrackAIPAC is an anti-Zionist group dedicated to systematically documenting the Israeli lobby, their financial contributions to US federal officials, and their anti-democratic influence on the United States.

We list out the major donors to the AIPAC, who are directly complicit in the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, which continues to claim innocent lives.

1. Jan Koum

With a total of $7,432,880 in grants, the largest donor to AIPAC and its allies is Jan Koum, a Ukrainian-American entrepreneur and computer programmer best known as the co-founder and former CEO of WhatsApp, a popular messaging app.

Born in Kiev to a Jewish family, he immigrated to the United States with his mother and pursued a career in tech, joining Yahoo as an infrastructure engineer and working there for nearly a decade

After leaving Yahoo, Koum and his former Yahoo colleague Brian Acton founded WhatsApp, which grew rapidly, reaching 400 million active users in five years.

In 2014, Facebook (now Meta) acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion, one of the largest tech acquisitions at the time. Koum stayed on as CEO four more years when he stepped down.

His net worth, largely from the WhatsApp sale, has been estimated at around $15 billion, making him one of the wealthiest tech entrepreneurs in the world.

Despite keeping a low public profile, Koum is known for his intimate ties to the Israeli regime and its lobby groups and shells out generous donations to Zionist causes. Through the Koum Family Foundation, he has contributed tens of millions of dollars to Israel-related organizations.

Between 2019 and 2020, his foundation donated approximately $140 million to around 70 Jewish organizations, many of which operate in the occupied territories or support Israeli causes.

Specific examples include $6 million to Friends of Ir David, the US fundraising arm of Elad, a Neo-Zionist organization focused on expanding illegal settlements in occupied East al-Quds.

Another significant donation was to Friends of the Israeli military (FIDF), a New York-based Zionist lobby group that supports Israeli soldiers and veterans, to which he gave $5.3 million.

He gave $600,000 to the Maccabee Task Force, founded by Sheldon Adelson to promote Zionist advocacy on college campuses, and $175,000 to the Central Fund of Israel, a Neo-Zionist association linked to supporting illegal settler groups in the West Bank.

Koum has also supported Israeli healthcare, donating over $13 million by 2020, including $7.7 million to Shaare Zedek Hospital in occupied al-Quds, affiliated with Hebrew University.

His ties also intersect with his political engagement. in 2022, he donated $2 million to AIPAC’s United Democracy Project (UDP), a super PAC supporting pro-Israeli candidates in US Democratic primaries, marking him as its largest individual donor at the time.

A year later, he contributed $10 million to a super PAC backing Nikki Haley’s 2023 presidential campaign, influenced by his connection with Miriam Adelson, a major Zionist donor, suggesting a deepening alignment with pro-Israeli political networks.

Beyond donations, Koum has publicly expressed Zionist views. On his Facebook page, which had nearly 90,000 followers before he stopped posting, he shared content celebrating the Israeli regime.

He also shared propaganda content from StandWithUs, a right-wing Zionist organization that works closely with the Israeli foreign ministry and has obtained funding directly from the Israeli Prime Ministers office, directed against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Koum has no known direct business or residential ties to Israel, however, his financial support and public statements reflect a strong personal affinity and a commitment to Israeli settler-colonialism.

Due to Koum's and Mark Zuckerberg's staunch pro-Zionist stance, there continues to be deep collaboration between Meta group and the Israeli occupation regime.

Meta reportedly provides Israeli intelligence services with an unobstructed installation of spyware on WhatsApp, used for monitoring anti-Zionist journalists, pro-Palestinian activists, and prominent Palestinian individuals themselves.

2. Miriam Adelson

Israeli-American Miriam Adelson, widely known as the biggest donor to the Republican Party, comes in second on the list with $5,000,000 donated to AIPAC, all of which went to the affiliated Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC).

According to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission in October last year, Adelson donated $100 million to a campaign committee supporting the candidacy of Donald Trump.

The widow of Sheldon Adelson who was known for his empire of casinos and resort hotels across the US, Miriam is a Zionist settler who was born and raised in the occupied Palestinian territories and has championed the cause of settler-colonialism.

Miriam mostly kept a low profile, leaving Sheldon in the foreground of their political and donor activities, until his death in 2021, when she stepped forward as his successor.

Last year, Forbes estimated her net worth at over $35 billion. She has recently been spending more time in the Zionist entity than in the United States.

Her political views represent the most radical form of Zionism, extreme even concerning the American Jewish mainstream and the Zionist entity itself.

She is associated with the right-wing ideology of Neo-Zionism, which advocates not only the retention of occupied territories but also the further expansion of the occupation and annexation of Palestine and neighboring countries.

Adelson is a major donor to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and the couple gave $25 million to the internationally boycotted Ariel University, located in one such Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.

The Adelson Family Foundation is a large financial contributor to the Taglit-Birthright Foundation, giving more than $500 million to the organization in a 15-year period.

The couple also got heavily involved in the campaign against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, launching the counter Maccabee Task Force (MTF) in a closed-door meeting.

This $50 million initiative was set to become America's largest pro-Israeli campus program, and the MTF later expanded its activities to Europe and beyond.

Adelson is also associated with financing various Zionist groups that have played a significant role in the production and dissemination of Islamophobic propaganda in the West.

3. Jonathon Jacobson

Third on the list of major donors to AIPAC with $4,575,000 in donated money is Jim Harris, an American financier and investor, best known as the founder of HighSage Ventures and the co-founder of Highfields Capital Management.

His career began as an options trader, followed by stints at Merrill Lynch and Lehman Brothers. In 1990, he joined Harvard Management Company, where he managed investments for the university's endowment.

In 1998, Jacobson co-founded Highfields with Richard Grubman, starting with $1.5 billion in assets, a third of which came from Harvard Management Company.

Highfields grew into a prominent hedge fund, managing over $12 billion at its peak and achieving annualized net returns exceeding 10 percent over two decades.

The fund was notable for its investments in companies like Microsoft, Genworth Financial, and SLM Corporation, as well as a high-profile bet against Enron before its 2001 collapse.

Jacobson led Highfields until 2018, when he announced the fund would return outside capital and transition into a family office, citing a desire for a less demanding lifestyle after 35 years in the industry.

In 2019, he founded HighSage Ventures, a private investment firm managing his family's assets and those of the One8 Foundation, where he serves as non-executive chairman.

Jacobson has leveraged his wealth and influence to engage with causes tied to the Israeli regime, primarily through his donor activities, political contributions, and leadership roles in organizations supportive of Zionist interests.

One of his most direct connections is his role as Chairman of the International Board of Trustees of the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), a think tank based in Tel Aviv focused on strategic, military, and security policy research.

This position reflects a significant commitment to Israeli occupation discourse and aligns him with influential figures in Israeli and global policy circles.

Jacobson and his wife Joanna oversee the One8 Foundation (formerly the Jacobson Family Foundation), which explicitly prioritizes "Jewish causes and Israel" among its focus areas.

The foundation aims to promote "a thriving and democratic Jewish state by increasing understanding among Americans and by strengthening a diverse Israeli society," as stated on the website.

While specific grant details are not fully transparent, past giving has included support for Zionist organizations, alongside education and community initiatives in Massachusetts.

Additionally, Jacobson has served as a trustee of the Birthright Israel Foundation, which facilitates trips for young Jewish Americans to the occupied Palestinian territories to strengthen their cultural and personal ties to the Zionist entity.

Politically, Jacobson has made substantial donations to pro-Israeli advocacy in the US, donating millions in the 2024 election cycle to AIPAC’s UDP, making him one of its largest individual donors at that time.

This funding supports candidates who align with AIPAC’s pro-Israeli agenda, underscoring Jacobson’s influence in shaping US policy toward the Tel Aviv regime.

His political giving also intersects with figures like Miriam Adelson, with whom he shares connections through mutual support for causes like Nikki Haley's 2023 presidential campaign.

While Jacobson’s professional career in finance does not appear to involve direct business dealings with the Israeli regime, he is one of the leading individuals engaged in Zionist causes through donations and advocacy.

4. Bernard Marcus and family

With $3,000,000 in donated funds, fourth on the list is Bernard Marcus, an American billionaire businessman, best known as the co-founder of The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, who died in November last year.

The first stores opened in Atlanta in 1979, and under Marcus’s leadership as the first CEO (until 1997) and chairman (until his retirement in 2002), the company grew into a retail giant with over 2,300 stores and a market valuation nearing $400 billion by 2024.

His wealth, derived largely from Home Depot stock, was estimated at $11 billion by Forbes at the time of his death in November 2024.

A vocal Republican, Marcus donated millions to conservative candidates, including Donald Trump ($7 million in 2016 and 2020), John McCain, and Ron DeSantis, and was outspoken on political issues, particularly supporting free-market principles.

As a first-generation American born to Russian Jewish immigrants, Marcus maintained a strong connection to Jewish identity and Zionist causes, including those benefiting the Israeli regime.

With his wife, Billi, he founded The Marcus Foundation in 1989, which has donated over $2.7 billion to causes including Jewish and Zionist initiatives, medical research, veterans, and free enterprise.

One of the most notable contributions was a $20 million donation in 2006 to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israeli medical service, which funded the Marcus National Blood Services Center in Ramla.

The $135 million state-of-the-art facility is designed to protect Israeli strategic blood reserves from missile, chemical and biological attacks.

Beyond MDA, The Marcus Foundation supported numerous Israeli-related organizations, including grants to aforementioned FIDF and Birthright.

Marcus also backed the Israel Democracy Institute, a think tank focused on strengthening Israeli occupation and apartheid, donating millions over the years to advance its research and programs.

His giving often aligned with Zionist priorities, such as supporting Israeli settler society, though exact figures for some contributions remain less publicized due to the foundation's private nature.

The Marcus Foundation continues these pro-Zionist activities even after his death, under the leadership of Billi Marcus and other family members.

5. David Zalik

Fifth on the list is David Zalik, an Israeli-American entrepreneur and financier, who donated $2,000,000, the same amount as the next three donors individually.

Born in the occupied Palestinian territories, Zalik immigrated to the US with his family as a boy, where he launched his entrepreneurial career by founding MicroTech Information Systems, Phoenix, and Outweb.

He is best known as the co-founder and former CEO of GreenSky, a financial technology company which provided a platform for instant point-of-sale loans, primarily for home improvement projects, partnering with banks and merchants.

Under his leadership, GreenSky facilitated over $30 billion in loans, went public in 2018, and was acquired by Goldman Sachs in 2022 for $2.24 billion in an all-stock deal, after which Zalik joined Goldman as a partner.

In 2023, Goldman sold GreenSky for roughly $500 million, ending Zalik's direct involvement. Zalik’s net worth has been estimated at around $2.3 billion as of 2024, reflecting his stakes in GreenSky and other investments.

Zalik has maintained a relatively low public profile regarding direct involvement with the Zionist entity since emigrating as a child, but his business ventures do appear to have direct operational ties to it.

Through The Zalik Foundation, co-founded with Helen in 2018, he’s donated over $100 million, focusing on education, mental health, and Jewish Zionist initiatives in the US and the Zionist entity.

While specific grants are not always itemized publicly due to the foundation's private nature, it has funded organizations with ties to the Israeli regime.

The foundation’s emphasis on "Jewish causes" mirrors efforts by other donors, often encompassing support for programs like Birthright Israel, though Zalik's exact beneficiaries are less publicized.

In Atlanta, where he resides, The Zalik Foundation has supported local Zionist organizations, such as the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, which frequently collaborates with Israeli counterparts on education and community-building projects.

A notable donation includes $5 million in 2022 to Technion-Israel Institute of Technology's American fundraising arm to establish the Zalik Accelerator Hub on its New York campus, aimed at fostering tech entrepreneurship.

Zalik rarely gives interviews or speaks publicly about his ties to the Zionist regime.

6. Paul Singer

Two million dollars were donated to AIPAC by Paul Elliott Singer, an American billionaire hedge fund manager and activist investor, known as the founder, president, and co-CEO of Elliott Management Corporation.

He pioneered "vulture capitalism," buying distressed sovereign bonds, such as those of Argentina and Peru, at steep discounts and pursuing full repayment through litigation, earning both massive profits and criticism.

Known for his strict approach, Singer built Elliott into one of the world's most formidable hedge funds, managing $72 billion in assets by 2025. As of 2024, Forbes pegged his net worth at $6.1 billion, though it likely grew with Elliott's expansion.

Through The Paul E. Singer Foundation, he’s donated roughly $300 million since 2010, with a significant portion supporting Jewish organizations and Israeli regime-related initiatives.

Singerhas been a major benefactor of groups like FIDF and Birthright. He has also supported United Hatzalah, an Israeli volunteer EMS organization, and has been linked to donations for Jewish schools and welfare programs that benefit Israeli settlers.

He co-founded Start-Up Nation Central to connect Israeli tech ecosystem globally, and has personally invested in Israeli tech firms, including cybersecurity company Cybereason, via Elliott Management’s private equity arm, Evergreen Coast Capital.

Singer is a staunch political supporter of the Israeli regime, channeling his influence as a top Republican donor to bolster American-Israeli ties.

With over $40 million donated to political causes since 2010, he backed figures like Marco Rubio, Mitt Romney, and, after initial opposition, Donald Trump.

He has contributed millions to pro-Israel groups like the RJC (where he sits on the board) and AIPAC-aligned efforts, backing candidates who prioritize Zionist policies.

He co-founded the Philos Project to foster Christian support for the Israeli regime.

Singer's funding of neoconservative think tanks, such as the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), also promotes hawkish policies aligned with Israeli interests, particularly against Iran.

7. Haim Saban

Haim Saban, an Israeli-American media mogul and investor, best known for creating Saban Entertainment, also donated two million dollars to AIPAC.

After partnering with Fox, his company generated over $6 billion in merchandise sales. He later sold Fox Family Worldwide to Disney for $5.3 billion, netting him $1.6 billion personally.

Saban re-entered media, acquiring Univision for $13.7 billion with partners, selling it in 2020. His Saban Capital Group now manages investments in entertainment, real estate, and tech, with his net worth estimated at $2.8 billion by Forbes in 2024.

A major Democratic donor, Saban has given over $30 million to US political causes, backing Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, while fiercely advocating for the Israeli regime.

Through the Saban Family Foundation, co-founded with his wife Cheryl in 1999, he’s donated over $500 million to Jewish and Zionist causes.

He's also given millions to FIDF, including a record-breaking $16.5 million pledge in 2019, to support the Israeli military.

One of his flagship contributions is the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, launched in 2002 with a $13 million gift, aimed at shaping US policy toward Palestine and the region.

Saban has funded healthcare and education in the Zionist entity directly, notably donating $50 million in 2018 to the Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva for a new emergency facility, one of the largest private gifts to an Israeli hospital.

His support extends to the American Friends of the Hebrew University and other institutions, bolstering Israeli academic and social infrastructure. His giving often targets the Negev region, reflecting a desire to strengthen Israeli periphery.

Saban has lobbied against policies he sees as threats, like Iran nuclear deal (which he called a "disaster" for the Israeli regime), and has funded efforts to counter the BDS movement, including through the Israel on Campus Coalition.

8. Helaine Lerner

Along with the three listed above, the positions from fifth to eighth are also shared by Helaine Lerner, an American environmental activist and the widow of Sid Lerner who died in 2021.

Her wealth, derived from Sid's advertising success and their joint investments, remains private, but their combined giving exceeds hundreds of millions.

Sid, born to Jewish immigrants, was a staunch Zionist and a significant donor to Jewish Zionist organizations, including the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

Helaine shared this Jewish identity, and like her husband and other billionaire donors, she is also prominently documented as having direct, personal involvement with Israeli-centric initiatives.

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