AIPAC cancels Ari Shavit events over sexual assault claims

Lobbying group distances itself from Israeli journalist accused by two women, drops November event in San Francisco

By JTA 31 October 2016, 8:36 pm

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Ari Shavit attends the UCLA Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center For Israel Studies 5th Annual Gala at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, in Beverly Hills, California, May 5, 2015. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has canceled Israeli journalist Ari Shavit’s participation in its events after two women accused Shavit of sexual assault.

AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby, confirmed the decision to JTA after Mondoweiss, an anti-Israel publication, reported that a November 10 San Francisco Bay Area event jointly put on by AIPAC and the local Jewish Community Relations Council had been canceled. A JCRC website link still advertises the event, but the web page itself has no content.

The first allegation against Shavit came in an October 19 article in the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles by reporter Danielle Berrin, who wrote that Shavit assaulted her during a 2014 interview. A second assault allegation, from an unnamed staff member at the dovish pro-Israel lobby J Street, was reported Sunday in the Forward.

Shavit announced he was temporarily leaving journalism due to the allegations.

AIPAC is one of several major Jewish organizations to drop Shavit following the allegations. Hillel International, the campus Jewish group, suspended a speaking tour by Shavit last week. J Street told The Forward that, following the accusation against its staffer, it has not allowed him to speak at its events.