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Ongoing Story· Day 45

Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Softens Stance on Israel Ahead of Midterms

7 developments

Arutz ShevaPolitics

Michigan Senate Candidate Criticizes Israel's U.S. Alliance

Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba

RightNeutral tone

Hebrew · 2 newsrooms covering

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, stated Israel is not a true U.S. ally, arguing it takes American money and draws the U.S. into wars. He previously drew criticism for calling Israeli leaders "as bad as Hamas" and for remarks about a synagogue attack that were seen as justifying violence. El-Sayed later apologized for his comments, saying they were misunderstood.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

  • Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed claims Israel is not a true U.S. ally.
  • El-Sayed argues Israel takes U.S. money and drags the country into wars.
  • He previously called Israeli leaders "as bad as Hamas" and accused them of "genocide."
  • His remarks on a synagogue attack were interpreted as justifying violence.
  • El-Sayed later apologized, stating his comments were misunderstood.
Michigan Senate Candidate Criticizes Israel's U.S. Alliance
Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, has stated that Israel should not be considered a true ally of the United States. He argues that Israel receives significant financial aid from the U.S. while simultaneously drawing Washington into military conflicts. In an interview with ABC News, El-Sayed questioned whether the American support for Israel serves U.S. interests, comparing the relationship to a "predatory friendship."

El-Sayed elaborated on his analogy, suggesting that a "friend" who takes money and drags you into unnecessary wars is not a true ally. He posed a hypothetical scenario about a child with a friend who constantly takes advantage, speaks ill of them, and gets them into trouble, implying that such a friend is not genuine.

This is not the first time El-Sayed has made controversial statements regarding Israel. Previously, he described Israel's military actions in Gaza as "bloody" and accused its leaders of "genocide." He also suggested that while Hamas may have committed war crimes, they were "no different from those of Israel," and called Israeli leadership "as bad as Hamas."

El-Sayed also faced criticism for his response to a March terror attack at the "Temple Israel" synagogue near Detroit. He commented that "violence is a cycle" and that it is logical for "people to hurt people who hurt them." These remarks were interpreted by some as justifying the attack, leading to a public outcry.

In August, El-Sayed apologized to Jewish members of the Democratic Party, stating his comments may have been misunderstood and that he did not intend to justify anything. He clarified that the terror attack was unequivocally condemned and that his attempt to provide context was poorly timed, acknowledging that one should not "step on someone when they are hurting."

Arutz ShevaRight · Beit El

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