May 31, 2020 - Politics & Policy

AIPAC conference in March 2021 canceled due to coronavirus

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses AIPAC in 2018. Photo: Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference scheduled for March 2021 has been canceled due to "uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic."

Why it matters: The cancellation of the event, set to take a place a full year after the pandemic was declared, illustrates the long-lasting effects COVID-19 could have on large gatherings.

  • AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group whose policy conference is usually attended by politicians from both parties, wrote in a statement that it will "continue to find new and creative ways over the coming year for us to connect online and in person to advance the U.S.-Israel relationship."

The big picture: The cancellation comes as President Trump is still pushing to host an in-person Republican National Convention despite pushback from health officials over the potential ramifications of gathering tens of thousands of people together.

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