Pro-Israel groups denounced after pouring funds into primary race

Aipac, through its political action committee, has raised millions of dollars from Republican billionaires to defeat candidates not considered pro-Israel enough. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

Hawkish pro-Israel lobby groups have been accused of using Republican mega-donors to hijack Democratic primaries after the “alarming” defeat of a prominent Jewish congressman because he criticised Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) spent more than $4m to defeat Andy Levin in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for a congressional seat in north-western Detroit.