Al Franken, Jewish Leaders Back Michigan Senate Candidate Criticizing Israel

Former Minnesota Senator Al Franken, alongside over two dozen prominent American Jews, has announced support for Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. El-Sayed has faced significant criticism from segments of the Jewish community due to his past statements and positions regarding Israel, as reported by The Washington Post.

In an open letter, Franken and the other signatories acknowledged that El-Sayed's views on Israel have "raised concerns for many." However, they asserted that his positions are "far less outside the mainstream" than often portrayed in discussions surrounding his campaign. The letter's authors noted that while not everyone agrees with El-Sayed's call to end U.S. military aid to Israel, they view it as part of a broader demand for the consistent application of international law and human rights standards to all nations.

Among the signatories were former Congressman Andy Levin and former officials from Democratic administrations, including Mort Halperin, Michael Posner, Josh Gootbaum, and Barnett Rubin. The initiative for the letter came from former State Department official Eric Schwartz.

El-Sayed, who has already won the Democratic primary in Michigan, opposes U.S. military aid to Israel and has described Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide." He has also been a vocal critic of the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC. Last week, a group of Michigan rabbis and other Jewish leaders called on candidates seeking Jewish voters' support to affirm principles including Jewish safety and the recognition of Israel's right to Jewish sovereignty.