Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Congress has sought answers to a reported effort by President Barack Obama to intervene in Israel’s elections.

Two members of Congress have demanded an explanation from the Obama administration of reports that the federal government was funding a campaign against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A group that received State Department funding until 2014 has been canvassing Israeli voters and urging them to topple the prime minister.

“There appears to be a danger that U.S. taxpayer funds are being used to directly shape the outcome of the upcoming Israeli election — and specifically to campaign against Prime Minister Netanyahu — something all would agree would be highly inappropriate,” a letter by Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Lee Zeldin said.

The letter, dated Jan. 29, was sent to Secretary of State John Kerry and demanded details of U.S. funding of the group OneVoice, which acknowledged joining a U.S.-financed campaign to elect a “prime minister and a government who will be responsive to the people.” The letter gave Kerry a 15-day deadline.

The Israeli daily Haaretz, regarded as a supporter of Obama, reported that OneVoice joined a campaign operation called V-15, with an office in Tel Aviv. The newspaper said the operation included Jeremy Bird, Obama’s field director for his campaign in 2012.

The State Department has confirmed that OneVoice, a tax-exempt organization, received federal grants until December 2014. The department said the grant to the organization was to promote a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

“No payment was made to OneVoice after November 2014,” State Department spokewoman Jen Psaki said on Jan. 29. “The project was to support efforts to support a two-state solution.”

For his part, Cruz said Obama was engaged in “relentless harassment of Israel” while allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons. The senator, deemed a personal friend of Netanyahu, demanded details of U.S. funding to OneVoice, including its activities in Israel.

“Of course private American citizens are free to engage in political activities according to their inclinations, but given the overtly partisan nature of this particular case, we are deeply concerned by the relationship that also exists between OneVoice and the U.S. Department of State,” the letter said.

The two members of Congress called for a State Department investigation into OneVoice, whose advisory board includes the son of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Ms. Psaki said the organization received $233,500 from Sept. 23, 2013 to Nov. 20, 2014, after Israel decided on early elections for parliament.

“It is completely unacceptable to use U.S. tax dollars to influence the elections in Israel,” Zeldin said. “State Department grants should never be given to entities working to overthrow strong allies like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We have great allies around the world, but Israel is our strongest, and a beacon of freedom in a region filled with radical Islamic extremists and state sponsored terrorism.”

  Letter from Congress calls for probe of Obama’s intervention in Israel’s election