Politico recently published an article on the unexpected financial supporters of anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses, which revealed backing from well-known Democratic donors who have also supported President Joe Biden’s bid for reelection. This includes well-known individuals and institutions including Susan and Nick Pritzker of Hyatt Hotels, David Rockefeller Jr. of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and George Soros.
Online ridicule has erupted in response to these discoveries, with detractors pointing out that Politico’s discovery is not unexpected considering the long-documented links these funders have with progressive organizations. For example, Soros and the Tides Foundation—which receives funding from both Soros and the Gates Foundation—have long been associated with left-wing advocacy. In particular, the Tides Foundation has provided Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, two groups actively engaged in the university demonstrations, with significant financial assistance.
The study noted that in 2022, the Tides Foundation received $300,000 from the Rockefeller Fund, and that organization then gave $500,000 to Jewish Voice for Peace. Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jewish Voice for Peace has generated controversy because of its positions, which include attributing the October 7 assaults on the United States and Israel rather than Hamas.
Social media users and public personalities have responded to the Politico piece in a variety of ways, ranging from sardonic to critical. They have questioned why the financing sources for these demonstrations would come as a surprise considering these donors’ lengthy history of supporting causes similar to these. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama and Representative Jim Banks of Indiana, among others, expressed their lack of astonishment, reiterating the belief that there is no doubt about the financial connections between well-known Democratic contributors and anti-Israel demonstrations.
The Gates Foundation has refuted several reports by Politico, asserting that it has never backed Jewish Voice for Peace or IfNotNow and that it does not currently have any funding to the Tides Foundation. In the meanwhile, the public’s perception of money donations to contentious causes and the responses Politico received to its investigation highlight larger political conflicts.