The subject of this thesis is to analyse the influence of "The Israel lobby" on the foreign policy of the United States of America. The work examines issues of lobbying, methods of its definition and delimitation. Furthermore, it analyzes the emergence and development of this lobby and introduces its main leaders and influential pro-Israel organizations. Finally, it analyses the effect of the lobby during the administration of some U.S. presidents such as John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter or Barack Obama. In conclusion, it examines the influence of this lobby in Congress, Pentagon and on campuses. The aim of this work is to prove that "The Israel lobby" has such a big impact that it is able to influence the decisions of the President of the United States, including political institutions.

In its theoretical part this master thesis identifies the main criteria determinating a diasporic ethnic group, based on publications from the scholarly journal Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies. Further on the master thesis deals with the history of the Jewish diaspora, firstly with the worldwide Jewish diaspora and subsequently with the Jewish diaspora in the United States . The further part of the master thesis concerns a more specific determination of the Jewish diaspora in the United States -- the history, structure and influence of the Jewish lobby in the United States. The last part supports with illustrative examples the influence of the Jewish lobby on the United States foreign policy on the US economic and military aid to Israel in particular.

In the past five years J Street, a pro-peace, pro-Israel Israel Lobby, has grown to challenge AIPAC’s dominance in lobbying Congress to support Israel. Although still small in comparison to AIPAC, J Street has become influential in opening up dialogue among American Jews on what it means to be pro-Israel in today’s world. By openly criticizing conservative Israeli policy J Street has created an environment where liberal American Jews can support both Israel and a two state solution with a Palestinian state. This paper examines American Jewish activism and the rise of AIPAC as the predominant Israel Lobby. It then argues that over the years AIPAC has supported expansionist Likud Party policy and has undermined Labor Party peace attempts. It has viciously attacked any person or organization critical of conservative Israeli policy. This paper then investigates opinion polls of American Jews and finds that, contrary to AIPAC, the majority of Jewish Americans are liberal and support a two state solution similar to J Street’s position. It then examines how J Street overcame an onslaught of attacks from conservative Jewish organizations. It argues that J Street has been successful because it has remained moderate in its policy stances and has been effective in countering attacks from conservative Jewish organizations while gaining the support of many mainstream American Jews who are frustrated with AIPAC’s policy.

The US-Israel relations were based on the US political and strategic interests in the Middle East. The beginning of relations resulted from the Israel&rsquo / s strategic importance for United States to contain the Soviet sponsored-communism and its location to easy access oil reserves. The bilateral relation, especially after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, was transformed into a special relation. However, following the election of George Bush as President of the US, the US-Israeli relations rose and reached its peak in the 8-year period of his Administration. For that reason, this thesis aims at analyzing the role of the Jewish lobbies, in the context of the US-Israeli relations from 1948 to 2008, particular focusing on the Bush Administration period. This study tries to answer the question of to what extent does the Jewish lobby influence foreign policy or to what extent does the Jewish lobby has the relative strength of influence than other ethnic groups or lobbies in the US foreign policy-making process is another aim of this study. This thesis argues that the Jewish lobby has been highly affectively to influence the US foreign policy-making process. In addition, it also argues that the US foreign policy is based on importance of presidency and therefore it is impossible to explain American foreign policy without highlighting the personality and belief system of Presidents.

History gives Harry S. Truman rightful merit for his help in establishing Jewish homeland in 1948. Although more than 63 years have passed since the declaration of Israeli independence, the true motives that lead President Truman to recognize Israel are still being discussed and disputed. Shortly after his inauguration in April 1945, the thirty-third president found himself in a difficult position when a majority of the Jews who had survived Nazi concentration camps could not or did not want to return to their countries of origin. Instead, they declared their wish to emigrate to Palestine, where Zionists had already been trying to establish a Jewish commonwealth. However, at that time there was a widespread uncertainty whether Franklin Delano Roosevelt's successor would have the same opinion about the post-World War II settlement in Palestine or not. It is the objective of this thesis to analyze the complex set of reasons that made President Truman support political Zionism. As we know, this process ultimately culminated with a prompt recognition of a newly established Jewish state. To answer the question what was the main reason behind this decision, domestic and external factors the president had to consider will be examined. The emphasis will be placed on American military and economic interests...